Introduction: COVID‑19 pandemic is associated with unfavorable body weight changes. However, little is known about these changes in older individuals, a particularly vulnerable group with limited representation in both direct and online research.
Objectives: The aims of the study were to assess changes in body weight and determinants of thesechanges, and to evaluate the prevalence of COVID‑19 history and its impact on the changes in body weight in older individuals.
Patients and methods: The analysis included 2076 residents of Kraków, aged 60 to 84 years. Data on sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, history of COVID‑19, and changes in body weight were collected in 2021 and 2022 by a postal survey. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used.
Results: COVID‑19 tests were performed in 29.3% of the participants, with one‑third of them being positive. A total of 14.3% of the participants had any history of COVID‑19. Almost two‑thirds of the study participants declared no change in their body weight during the pandemic, while 26.2% gained weight. The weight gain was associated with unfavorable sociodemographic and lifestyle conditions. Weight loss was reported by 11.3% of the participants, and it was associated with poor perceived health and a history of COVID‑19. After adjusting for covariates, the history of COVID‑19 was associated with about 4 times higher odds of weight loss in any case (odds ratio [OR], 2.69; 95% CI, 1.59-4.57 for nonhospitalized, and OR, 18.96; 95% CI, 5.64-63.73 for hospitalized individuals).
Conclusions: Most people with a change in their body weight gained weight due to unfavorable lifestyle modifications, but the history of COVID‑19, especially hospitalization, was a strong determinant of body weight loss.