The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has included in its coronavirus risk warning people who are considered overweight (a BMI of 25 to 29.9, obese is above 30).
Dr Donald Hensrud, director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, explained that obesity already is associated with several complications – diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular disease.
Dr Hensrud said, “Now COVID-19 comes along, and we’ve got all the issues we had before plus some additional ones. Obesity is associated with low-grade inflammation and an effect on our immune system. This affects our susceptibility to COVID-19. People who are obese are more likely to develop COVID-19 and complications from it, including dying, than people who aren’t obese. In addition, people with diabetes and some of the other complications from obesity are also at increased risk. So obesity and its complications independently take the risks of COVID-19 and elevate them significantly.”
Dr Hensrud said that he noted patients of his had put on weight during lockdown due to comfort eating and staying at home without any exercise. In order to reduce their risk, people should resolve to eat a healthy diet and engage in exercise, although he cautioned that losing more than 10% body weight in six months can impact the immune system.
Source: Medical Xpress
