Cutting the “Quarantine 15”: How Personalized Health Data Helps Patients Improve their Health even during a Pandemic

Personal health resolutions are common at the start of a new year, and with the increasing stress and decreasing activity experienced because of the pandemic, many of these health goals involve losing extra weight, namely the "quarantine 15."

A recent study found that weight gain during the COVID-19 pandemic has ballooned, with more than 25 percent of U.S. participants, largely due to decreased physical activity and increased stress.[1] Adam Kuchnia, PhD, RDN, Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a metabolic health expert, admits even he is not immune. 

“Things are hard for everyone right now. I study metabolic health every day, and I still face these challenges,” said Kuchnia. “The conditions of the pandemic are creating a perfect storm for developing poor health, including obesity. I definitely think there will be downstream impacts coming out of the pandemic.”

And the number on the bathroom scale is only one part of the story. “It’s more than just weighing yourself on a scale,” said Kuchnia. “You have to have the whole picture of your tissue and bone health to truly improve your metabolic health. If you don’t, it’s like fishing in the dark.” The true north star is metabolic health, which includes things like a healthy blood pressure, waist circumference, bone density and levels of metabolites that fuel the body.

As a former dietitian, Kuchnia now researches how medical imaging can be used to track muscle quality to better evaluate and optimize muscle health. Using these images, clinicians can examine the relationship between an individual’s muscle, visceral fat, and bone health to get a picture of an individual’s metabolic health. For example, using DXA imaging technology from GE Healthcare, experts can capture a whole-body scan that shows them all three of these factors in a single report. This data deep-dive and imagery can be used to monitor an individual’s progress towards optimal metabolic health over time.

Data from these types of body scans are already being used for collegiate and professional athletes worldwide to optimize their metabolic health and performance. Now as the availability of DXA imaging grows, many clinicians are giving individuals the opportunity to tap into this same data to develop personalized health plans – especially as they work towards their post-COVID health goals.

Health Planning from the Inside Out

In Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Sajad Zalzala is putting this concept into practice by taking a multi-faceted approach to health planning for his patients. The family medicine doctor runs a telemedicine practice, AgelessRx, and an in-person DexaFit location that offers individuals a data-first treatment plan designed to optimize metabolic health and slow aging. 

“People having this type of data about their body and their health empowers them to work towards a goal,” said Zalzala. “They can see that conditions are shifting inside their bodies from fat to muscle – or vice versa – and gives them motivation beyond just putting themselves on a scale.”

Providing DXA scans is part of his clinical approach, and it allows patients to better understand not just where they’re at, but the progress they’re making.

“Many people don’t know much how much of their body composition is fat. The DXA scan helps people understand their body composition and can help make sure they’re on the right track. Patterns like high visceral fat or premature bone loss are indicators that there’s something wrong,” said Zalzala. “The data you get from the DXA scan like lean muscle, visceral fat, and bone health you can’t really get anywhere else.”

Once a patient receives the scan and receives their consultation with Zalzala or his staff on their progress, they can access their data and track personalized metrics like body fat percentage, longevity score, and body composition grade on a smartphone app.

“My ultimate goal is to give more patients this type of access to their health data,” said Zalzala. “We’re seeing a big shift towards people wanting more information and this screening tool can help guide better clinical treatments and preventive health maintenance.”

As many are considering how to adjust their quarantine health plans, both Kuchnia and Zalzala reiterated keeping goals realistic and having a good benchmark of your health are essential for long-term success. With increased access to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) imaging technologies across the nation, a whole-body scan could be the first step in flattening this secondary pandemic curve.

[1] Flanagan EW, Beyl RA, Fearnbach SN, Altazan AD, Martin CK, Redman LM. The Impact of COVID-19 Stay-At-Home Orders on Health Behaviors in Adults. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2021 Feb;29(2):438-445. doi: 10.1002/oby.23066. Epub 2020 Dec 18. PMID: 33043562; PMCID: PMC7675243.