Local Physician Encourages Healthy Loss of Pandemic Pounds

6/8/2021

Study finds average weight gains of 1.5 pounds a month during pandemic

Bullhead City, AZ – As the days get longer and more of our community is opening up, a local physician is encouraging his patients to reverse the extra pounds they may have added over the past year of the pandemic. Dr. Ryan Hunley, a family practice physician at Silver Creek Family Practice, says it’s a great time to get back on track with healthy habits and shed that extra weight.

“I know how easy it has been to gain weight while our activities were reduced during COVID restrictions, but it is important to reverse these weight gains for your long-term health,” Hunley said.

A recent study by the University of California, San Francisco confirmed what many of our scales and wardrobes have already shown us – lower activity levels and increased snacking and overeating have added up, and not for the better. The study found significant increases in weight of roughly a pound and a half gained per month following the shelter in place orders of last spring.

Even before the pandemic, CDC data from 2017-2018 showed that nearly 35% of the adults in Arizona had obesity. Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher.

Extra pounds can increase your risk for many serious diseases and health conditions that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. Overweight can lead to high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, many types of cancer and other concerns.

“A healthy lifestyle, which includes activity and a healthy diet are keys to good health,” Dr. Hunley said.

“Eating healthy is not about picking a specific diet, but about adhering to a lifestyle that works for the individual. Healthy foods are foods that are plant based with low caloric density.

“Good sleep, adequate hydration, and normal fiber intake all play a huge role in weight loss. It really is more than just caloric intake, but low calorically dense foods are usually filled with water and have fiber, which increases our satisfaction and helps us feel full longer. However, each person’s body is unique, so be sure to work with your physician to establish a healthy plan to lose weight,” he said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, strategies for weight loss and weight maintenance include dietary changes, physical activity, behavior therapy, pharmacotherapy and surgery. Your primary care physician can help you determine what course of action can support your health objectives.

Dr. Hunley’s practice has put a number of precautions in place to ensure a safe environment for patient appointments. These include masking of all providers, checking the temperature of all clinic visitors, screening clinic staff daily and enhanced cleaning of commonly touched surfaces.

If you need help finding a primary care physician visit www.WARMCdocs.com to be connected with one of Western Arizona Medical Group’s qualified family medicine practitioners. The telephone number to Silver Creek Family Practice is (928) 763-9290.

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