COVID-19 and Obesity

Disclaimer: Not medical or professional advice. Always seek the advice of your physician.

The whole world is now concerned about the coronavirus. Unsurprisingly, people with pre-existing medical conditions such as obesity may feel more at risk than usual.

In times of coronavirus, you may wonder how being overweight or obese might affect you if you get the virus. Severe obesity is a significant risk factor for complications from COVID-19, which is why doctors around the world place greater focus on such patients during the pandemic. American scientists have found that excessive weight can also increase the risk of getting infected by a coronavirus. The body mass index helps determine the degree of obesity.

What is Body Mass Index?

Body mass index (BMI) is the ratio of height to weight. BMI can help you figure out if your weight is insufficient, normal, or excessive. It is сalculated by the formula: BMI = weight/height.

16 and < Severe underweight.
16-18.5 Insufficient body weight (deficiency).
18.5-25 Normal weight.
25-30 Overweight (pre-obesity).
30-35 Class 1 obesity.
35-40 Class 2 obesity.
40 and> Class 3 obesity.

COVID-19 and Obesity Facts

The risk of death from COVID-19 among obese people is 2 times higher.
Patients in intensive care units in 34.5% of cases were overweight, 31.5% were obese, and 7% were highly obese.
Overweight patients (BMI> 40) are 6 times more likely to be hospitalized.
Patients with a BMI> 35 have a 7 times higher risk of being on artificial lung ventilation, even without taking into account age, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.
In the United States, obesity is the most common coexisting disease in persons aged 18-49 years (59%) and 50-64 years (49%).
Scientists have found that Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is present in fat cells, is one way the virus enters the body. ACE2 binds well to viruses like coronavirus. Obese people have a lot of fat tissue around their organs. This may be one of the reasons that they have a higher risk of catching coronavirus infection.

Obesity can be genetic or caused by disease or drugs. It is also often associated with a lack of nutritional education, financial constraints or trauma, and psychiatric problems. Thus, it is a widespread problem that deserves attention.

Why is Obesity a Risk Factor of COVID-19?

The more overweight a person is, the more fat is present in his body, the lower his physical endurance and lung capacity. The oxygen is delivered throughout the body with a lot of effort. It affects the heart and blood flow.

During an infection like the coronavirus, this can be very important. This is one reason why overweight and obese people in the intensive care unit are more likely to need breathing and kidney function support. Several factors contribute to the development of severe COVID-19 in obese patients.

Limited ability to produce interferon’s (a class of proteins secreted by defense cells and necessary to suppress viral proliferation) and antibodies.
Fat tissue functions as a reservoir for the virus, which persists longer in the body.
Slow chronic inflammation caused by an overgrowth of fat cells provokes an inflammatory cytokine storm* caused by SARS-CoV-2.
Obesity increases the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels.
Obese patients usually experience breathing troubles because abdominal fat tissue compresses the diaphragm and prevents it from moving normally.
Shyness makes obese people less likely to visit a doctor, which increases the risk of complications and death.

How To Protect yourself from coronavirus if you are obese?

Follow the precautions recommended in your state.
Begin to lead a healthy lifestyle (observe proper nutrition, increase physical activity).

Why People with Obesity Should Get the COVID-19 Vaccine