Survey: 55% Packed On ‘Pandemic Pounds’

More than half (55%) of Americans have packed on some pandemic pounds according to a healthinsurance.com national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults. Pandemic life left many stressed, drinking more alcohol, gaining weight and in need of a break. The one thing nearly a majority can agree on - they are ready for summer vacay. 45% say they are for sure taking a summer vacation, while an additional 20% want to, but haven't booked it yet.

Pandemic Life
Everyone has dealt with pandemic life in their own way, and it hasn't all been healthy. 55% report gaining weight over the last year. 31% admit their alcohol consumption increased during the pandemic, that's a 29% increase from May 2020. However, all the extra family time has been a silver lining for some relationships. 32% say their relationship with their spouse or partner is better now than before the pandemic.

Life In The "New Normal"
Half (51%) of the respondents said that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over. While 38% report having resumed "normal life"; 64% think all of the current COVID-19 restrictions are necessary to be kept in place. The outlook of COVID-19 disappearing anytime soon was bleak. More than half (52%) think that there is no cure for COVID-19. Two-in-ten (21%) say there is a cure; that's a 53% decrease from the 45% that said there was a cure in May of 2020. Similarly, consumer perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine have changed as well. 49% of the respondents think that everyone should be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine. That's a 23% decrease from the 64% who said in May of 2020 that everyone should be required to.

Pandemic Impact On Jobs
The pandemic has left many millions unemployed, and this survey is reflective of that. 38% of our respondents report currently being unemployed. 34% who are working, say they are struggling to work full time while caring for their children; that's a 62% increase from one year ago. Half (50%) are still working from home and liking it. One year ago, 37% said working from home stressed them out. This year, there has been a 24% improvement with now only 28% saying working from home stresses them out. 44% would think twice about switching jobs right now because of health insurance. But that's not stopping the 27% who said they are actively looking for a new job.

COVID-19 Healthcare Checkup
COVID-19 has changed consumers' perceptions and behavior especially when it comes to healthcare. 54% say COVID-19 changed the way they look at health care. 84% said they were happy/satisfied with their health insurance during the pandemic. But, 41% still avoided going to a hospital or doctor's office for a health problem other than COVID-19 due to fear of contracting the illness; that number remained unchanged from May 2020.

Tech Savvy Seniors
While consumers have embraced technology during pandemic life, Seniors have become tech savvy. 43% know someone on Medicare who has used telemedicine during the pandemic. That's an 87% increase from May 2020. More than half (52%) are now video chatting more with grandma and grandpa than before the pandemic, and 33% more than just a year ago.

Survey snapshot results available here
For the entire healthinsurance.com survey results and methodology click here

METHODOLOGY:
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen from May 6-10, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied to the overall sample and lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation's population. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population. Margin of Sampling Error: +/- 3.1 percentage points (for full sample)

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