Pandemic Yo-Yo: See How Many Pounds Americans Packed On & Pulled Off

Forget the freshman 15. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 42% of people have packed on a quarantine-30, while others have flipped just as hard in the opposite direction.

According to New Harris polling done for the American Psychological Association, 18% of people Americans overall have lost an average of 26 pounds, and unintentionally at that.

As you’d expect, the people with the most stressful jobs — essential workers and parents — both gained and lost the most weight. More than half of parents put on pounds, and the average was a whopping 36 pounds.

The spread is rather interesting when looking across generations, however. One-half of Gen Z adults gained nearly 30 pounds, and one-quarter of them lost slightly less. Millennials gained the most weight of any group, with an average pickup of 41 pounds. Finally, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers fell along similar lines in both percentages of weight lost and gained and the total pounds for each.

Take a look below:

• Gen Z adults (ages 18–24): 
  
  
  • Undesired weight loss — 22% of Gen Z adults report
    
    
  • Average weight loss — 22 lbs. 
    
    
  • Undesired weight gain — 52% of Gen Z adults report
    
    
  • Average weight gain —28 lbs.

• Millennials (ages 25–42):
  
  
  • Undesired weight loss — 22% of Millennials
    
    
  • Average weight loss — 26 lbs. 
    
    
  • Undesired weight gain — 48% of Millennials
    
    
  • Average weight gain — 41 lbs.

• Xers (ages 43–56): 
  
  
  • Undesired weight loss — 17% of Xers
    
    
  • Average weight loss — 24 lbs. 
    
    
  • Undesired weight gain — 41% of Xers
    
    
  • Average weight gain — 21 lbs.

• Boomers (ages 57–75):
  
  
  • Undesired weight loss — 14% of Boomers 
    
    
  • Average weight loss — 26 lbs. 
    
    
  • Undesired weight gain — 37% of Boomers
    
    
  • Average weight gain — 16 lbs

• Older adults (ages 76+):
  
  
  • Undesired weight loss — 5% of older adults 
    
    
  • Undesired weight gain — 25% of older adults