COVID-19 and Chuseok Stay-at-Home... "Beware of Weight Gain"

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] As the Chuseok holiday begins, concerns about weight gain are increasing. Due to social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), it has become awkward to visit hometowns, and involuntary 'sudden weight gain' cases are increasing as people fill their stomachs with delivery food. The medical community advises that if actively losing weight through methods like 'home training (home training)' is difficult, at least reducing the intake of high-calorie foods, represented by delivery food, is recommended.

Reduce high-calorie and high-sodium foods such as delivery food

The Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences on the 2nd pointed out delivery food and convenience meals as foods that cause sudden weight gain during the Chuseok holiday. As the desire for convenient eating habits grows, many households choose delivery food and convenience meals, but it is necessary to avoid these.

According to the online shopping trends announced by Statistics Korea, during July when social distancing was in full effect, the transaction amount for food services in online shopping increased by 66.3% compared to the same month last year, and consumption of beverages and groceries also rose by 46.7% compared to the same month last year.

The institute explained that most delivery food and convenience meals are fried or heavily seasoned, and such foods should be approached with caution due to their high fat and sodium content. Especially, many people order carbonated drinks along with these foods, but since carbonated drinks contain high sugar levels, it is better to consume only a little or avoid them.

Dr. Cheolmin Park, head of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Southeast Regional Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, stated, "High-calorie, high-sodium foods or sugary drinks are okay to eat occasionally, but eating them more than three times a week can cause obesity and increase cholesterol."

Avoid delivery food and engage in proper exercise

Various Home Workout Items (Unrelated to the Article)

Dr. Park emphasized, "These foods can increase the risk of adult diseases such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia. In such cases, if infected with COVID-19, the risk can be higher compared to healthy individuals, so caution is necessary."

The institute added, "Although outdoor activities are limited during the Chuseok holiday, various home training programs provided by local governments can be used to enjoy exercise," and "Consistently performing various exercises that strengthen core muscles at home will help prevent metabolic syndrome and boost immunity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.