Americans Physical And Mental Health Has Deteriorated Since Pandemic

Americans' mental and physical health have both declined since the Covid pandemic, national data shows.

A Gallup report released Thursday surveyed more than 5,000 US adults in all 50 states in 2023 and tracked changes in mental and physical conditions since 2019. 

They found that since pandemic-era lockdowns, Americans have experienced record highs of obesity and diabetes, as well as increases in high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. They also developed worse diets, namely by eating less produce.

Additionally, US mental health has been on a downward spiral, with one in 10 high schoolers attempting suicide and a record high of 50,000 people taking their own lives last year. 

The researchers said: 'Much of the recent increase in obesity may be associated with modified health behaviors resulting from the pandemic.'

This includes adopting a more sedentary lifestyle as a result of working from home, or unhealthy eating habits picked up during lockdown.




A national Gallup survey found that American physical health declined by every metric from 2019 to 2023, which they largely blamed on unhealthy habits started during the Covid pandemic lockdown





Research has also shown that mental health worsened during the pandemic, with a record 50,000 Americans taking their own lives in 2022

The team conducted the survey between August 30 and September 8, 2023. It included 5,316 US adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  

The respondents self-reported their height and weight, which allowed researchers to calculate their body mass index (BMI). A BMI of 25-29 equals overweight, while a BMI of 30 or more indicates obesity.  

Gallup asked participants: 'Has a doctor or nurse ever told you that you have diabetes?' The agency did not ask them to specify if they had type 1 or type 2 diabetes. 

The group was also asked to report their eating habits and how often they consume fruits and vegetables each week. 

The researchers found that 38.4 percent of adults surveyed qualified as obese, a six-percent increase since 2019. This was just shy of a record high - 39.9 percent - that was measured in 2022.

The increase varied by age. Adults between ages 45 and 64 showed an 8.2 percent increase, and those ages 30 to 44 had a 6.1 percent jump. Adults under age 30 experienced a 3.2 percent increase.

Additionally, 13.6 percent of respondents said they were diagnosed with diabetes, a 1.1 percent increase since 2019. 




Researchers largely attributed the increases in diabetes and obesity surgery istanbul to poor diets and lack of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables





Data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows 1,266 more people killed themselves in 2022, compared to 2021 - a rise of three percent

The researchers attributed these rises to poor diet and lack of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables. 'Both eating and exercise habits influence the probability of being obese or being diagnosed with diabetes,' the team wrote. 

Since 2019, the percentage of adults who reported eating healthy the day before the survey dipped five percent since 2019 - from 51.7 percent to 46.7 percent.  

'Produce consumption, in turn, is down even more, with 42.0 percent of respondents reporting having had at least five servings of fruits and vegetables on at least four days in the prior week - a key cutoff point in wellbeing outcomes,' the researchers wrote.