A man measures his waist. Archive photoMOSCOW, 14 Jan. Coronavirus infection can cause both weight loss and weight gain. What it depends on, said in an interview with Sputnik radio candidate of medical sciences, endocrinologist, associate professor of the department of endocrinology of the Russian National Research Medical University. N.I. Pirogova Yury Poteshkin. The acute phase of any infectious disease is often accompanied by loss of appetite, and COVID-19 is no exception, he noted. At the same time, the patient can noticeably lose weight. «If the weight has not decreased catastrophically, there is no need to panic, you need to eat (during the acute phase of the disease. — Approx. ed.) simple things in a minimal amount — long carbohydrates, proteins, just to have energy», Poteshkin said. On the other hand, coronavirus infection can also lead to the appearance of extra pounds, he continued. The doctor named two factors that can cause weight gain in COVID-19. «COVID-19 is generally associated with weight gain, this happens for several reasons. The first is that people have a significant decrease in physical activity, there is no way to move. The second point is, oddly enough, eating a lot of fat when you're sick,» he added.The doctor told whether it is necessary to force yourself to eat during illness. According to the endocrinologist, interest in fatty foods during coronavirus infection is due to a person’s desire to provide himself with energy and get an additional charge of positive emotions. «This is generally typical for any disease when a person tries, firstly , get positive emotions from delicious food and, secondly, stock up on energy,” Poteshkin explained. A change in diet caused by illness can lead to an increase in body weight by 10-15 percent, he warned. A gradual increase in physical activity during the rehabilitation period, as well as specially selected nutrition, will help restore shape. “It is better if a specialist helps to do this. In principle, if there was a mild course of COVID-19 and a small increase, you can restore weight in about a month,” believes a doctor. Full recovery of the body after a coronavirus infection usually takes six months, Poteshkin clarified.
