Better sleep and increased weight loss despite the Corona pandemic

Withings, pioneers of connected health objects, reveals in a global report that their Nordic users gained several health benefits in 2020, despite an ongoing pandemic. The northerners have both slept better and lost more weight than they did in 2019, and their activity level was significantly affected in comparison with the other countries in the study.

With a pandemic that has affected millions of people worldwide, there can hardly be any health benefits gained in 2020, can it? According to a global report from Withings, where they studied anonymized data from 5 million users of their smart Wi-fi scales, sleep trackers and hybrid smart watches, there are several improved health aspects in 2020 compared to 2019, despite COVID-19.

More people have lost weight

According to the World Health Organization WHO, obesity and overweight are increasing significantly in the world, which also increases the risk of more people suffering from serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, the Nordic countries are no exception. Only in Sweden statistics from the Swedish Public Health Agency show that over 50% of the population is overweight or obese. Similar statistics also apply to Norway, Denmark and Finland.

Despite this, Withings’ report shows that 2020 was a positive year in terms of people's weight. Globally, users lost 0.14 kg more in weight compared to 2019. At the same time, more of those who set a goal of losing at least 1 kg in weight succeeded in 2020 (46%) compared to the year before (41%). The positive weight trend can also be seen in the Nordic countries where Norway is the country where users on average lost the most weight with 0.75 kg followed by Sweden that decreased by 0.62 kg in 2020 (2019: -0.43 kg respectively - 0.31 kg).

Longer sleep time and increased quality of sleep

In addition to a healthy weight level, good sleep is also essential for our health. According to a Finnish study from 2016, Finns sleep an average of one hour less per night compared to what they did in 2012. And according to the Swedish Public Health Agency, every third Swede suffers from sleep disorders of varying degrees.

The Corona pandemic, with associated symptoms and anxiety, has most certainly kept many awake. However, Withings´ report shows that users' sleep was better in 2020 than it was in 2019. At a global level, users slept on average 9:50 minutes longer, had 0.54 lower sleep heart rates (beats per minute) and 5% better quality of sleep (ranking based on total time spent sleeping, regularity, part of night in deep sleep and time spent awake). Finland is the country in the Nordic region where users have increased their sleep time the most by an average of 09:59 minutes compared to the year before. Followed by Norway (07:49 min), Sweden (06:30 min) and Denmark (06:20 min).

The level of activity in the Nordic countries is not particularly affected

The parameter most negatively affected by the Corona pandemic is the level of activity, which clearly decreased in 2020 compared to 2019. At a global level, the number of steps decreased by an average of 10%, corresponding to 511 steps per day. If you look at countries that have had lockdowns and curfews as a result of COVID-19, such as Spain and France, the number is even higher with a 14% reduction in the level of activity. At the top are countries such as China and Singapore, which show 20% and 19% fewer steps than they had in 2019.

The affect to users’ activity has been remarkable little in the Nordic countries, where restrictions and recommendations haven’t been as strict as in many other European countries. Sweden, which has been praised for its more “generous” strategy than its neighbors, has decreased by an average of 3% fewer steps in 2020 compared to 2019. The same figure applies to Norway, while Denmark has decreased by only 2% and Finland 6%.

Methodology

This study was carried out by Withings by analysing aggregated and anonymized data from more than 5 million users of its scales and watches connected all over the world. Withings guarantees the confidentiality of personal data and protects the privacy of all its users. Consequently, all data used for this study has been anonymized and aggregated to avoid any further identification.

About Withings

Withings creates devices embedded in easy-to-use everyday objects that connect to apps and act as powerful daily health check-ups, as well as tools to help master long-term health goals.

Founded by visionary innovators Eric Carreel and Cédric Hutchings in 2008, the Withings team of engineers, doctors, and health professionals invent the world’s most efficient devices to help track and analyze anyone’s vitals. The ecosystem range includes award-winning products across the health spectrum, including hybrid smartwatches and health trackers (ScanWatch, Move, Move ECG, Steel, Steel HR, Steel HR Sport, Pulse HR), connected scales (Body Cardio, Body+, Body), blood pressure monitors (BPM Core and BPM Connect), and an advanced sleep system (Sleep Analyzer). Every piece of collected data comes to life in the free Health Mate app, where users can find coaching, motivation, and valuable insights to share with their doctors and shape key aspects of their health. Read more about Withings on withings.com.