Speakers
Ms. Sylvia, See-Way Lam
Sylvia graduated with a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Sydney, Australia, in 2000. She has been practicing in Hong Kong for more than 20 years, specializing mainly in diabetes, cardiac rehabilitation, weight management, other obesity related conditions, and eating disorders. Sylvia has been the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Dietitians Association (HKDA) from 2007 to 2019, the External Affair Officer of HKDA in 2019 to 2021, actively promoting Hong Kong’s dietitian profession. Currently, she is the Chairperson of the Professional Council of the Hong Kong Academy of Accredited Dietitians (HKAAD), the country representative of Hong Kong of the International Confederation of Dietetics (ICD), and the council member of the Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sport Science (HKASMSS).
She often provides nutrition seminars to local and international conferences, corporate companies, schools, and academic institutions. She is also a reputable spokesperson for the dietetic profession providing accurate and up-to-date nutrition education and information to the general public through newspapers, television, and radio programs. Besides, she published more than 10 nutrition cookbooks, including sports nutrition, therapeutic diet for people with diabetes and heart diseases, weight management, nutrition support for cancer patients, vegetarianism, infant and child nutrition, and more.
Abstract
Changes in Diet Pattern and Weight Management during the Pandemic
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, people’s daily life has been significantly affected both physically and mentally. There are more than 7,000 studies searched on PubMed about how the pandemic has impacted weight management. Not only it leads to weight gain but also eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorders. Social distancing and quarantine-type preventive measures increase the risk of poor eating habits (both overeating and restrictive eating), reduced or excessive physical activity (i.e., home exercises), or mental distress. A study done in China showed that adults had an average weight gain of 2.8 kg during outbreak confinement. Not only did weight gain occur in adults, but also children and the Department of Hong Kong showed that there was also significant weight gain in primary school students from 2020 to 2021. Poor eating habits include increased frequency of snacking and drinking (both non-alcoholic and alcoholic), irregular meal time, increased takeaway orders, stocking up on processed foods at home, and eating out of boredom. On the other hand, people with eating disorders had worsening symptoms during the pandemic, mainly due to anxiety, depression, changes in body weight, food insecurity, changes to routine and loss of structure, the negative influence of the media, and social isolation. International studies showed that hospital admission due to eating disorders could increase by 48%. As a result, healthcare professionals must tackle changes in lifestyle behaviors and mental distress problems earlier during the pandemic and take measures to prevent the deterioration of people’s health.