When you are obese, your body is in a chronic state of low grade inflammation. This can make illnesses worse.
The coronavirus seems to take a worse toll on those with underlying conditions, and obesity is being uncovered as one of them. This is a scary fact. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) at least 2.8 million people die every year because they are obese or overweight around the world. And obesity is now spreading to all corners of the globe. In the US, the problem is staggering. About 42% of the population in America is obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those who are less educated and Hispanic and/or Black suffer from the highest rates of the condition. Of course, if you are obese, you have a higher chance of suffering from other serious health conditions. These include heart disease, stroke, certain kinds of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and now it seems, COVID-19.
Being obese is such a red flag when it comes to the coronavirus that, according to the New York Times, studies have shown it is one of the most important predictors of who will develop a severe case of the illness and who will not. Just being obese is now a COVID-19 risk factor on its own.
Doctors are saying they are not sure why this is the case but there are some good guesses. Most of it comes down to a worn out system. If you are obese you are generally living with chronic, low-grade inflammation. This could cause an increased risk of developing a severe cytokine storm in your system in response to the virus.
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The facts are daunting. People who are obese have had double the risk of needing to be put on a ventilator with COVID-29. One study from China indicated that in a group of 112 COVID-19 patients, 17 people died and 15 of these were overweight or obese. Doctors across the country are finding youth needing to be hospitalized with the virus because they are obese and in some cases, dying.
What can you do? Losing weight if you are overweight is always a good idea. For a general benchmark of where you can find your optimal weight, consult a weight or BMI (body mass index) chart for reference. Talk to your doctor. In fact, losing some weight if you need to before a coronavirus vaccine comes out is highly recommended. Scientists say the vaccine may not work as well in people who are obese, which is cause for concern.
It has been known for some time that vaccines for the flu, hepatitis B, rabies, and tetanus are not as effective in adults who are severely overweight. Researchers are now afraid this will also be the case with COVID-19. Raz Shaikh, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, told CNN he believes the vaccine will not work at all in obese people. It is not the time to take the gamble. Weight loss is possible.
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