| Issues | Examples |
| Food access | - Scarcity, reduced access to food/specific foods, higher eating related guilt, food abundance due to reduced grocery trips
|
| Media and media messaging | - Increased consumption of media coverage and social media due to reduced human/social interaction
- Distressing coverage, negative framing of Covid-19-specific weight changes, so-called ‘Quarantine-15’ (gaining 15 pounds)
- An intense focus on weight status as being a determining factor in Covid-19 hospitalisation, ventilator usage – negative framing as potential for instigating risky behaviours (restriction and weight control methods)
|
| Exercise difficulties | - Limited opportunities and social exercise, low availability of facilities for physical activity – those with existing weight and shape concerns may be at risk of greater distress
- Lack of availability of exercise opportunities such as compulsive exercise to manage negative feelings may propel individuals towards other risky coping strategies (more purging, more caloric restriction)
- Exercise withdrawal symptoms, more restrained eating due to limited daily exercise (compensatory behaviour)
|
| Restricted access to healthcare | - Heightened demand on existing health systems during the pandemic, reduced treatment
- Limitations involved in telehealth monitoring (weight changes, vitals, physiological checks)
|
Source: Cooper et al 2020
