A new research suggests that the obese and people who are over 65 are more likely to be hospitalized with the coronavirus that cancer patients and those with lung disease.
Two studies from the New York University observed 8,000 patients and found that being over 65 or having a BMI above 30 were the biggest risk factors for COVID-19 admissions.
Obese people and over 65 are likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19
In one research, it was stated that almost half of all patients who were hospitalized with coronavirus were aged 65 or over. The researchers concluded that age was an important predictor of hospitalization.
Aside from age as being the biggest risk factor, the health condition that was also strongly associated with being diagnosed with COVID-19 is obesity. According to the report, the chronic condition with the strongest association with critical illness was obesity, with a substantially higher odds ration than any cardiovascular or pulmonary disease.
Another study found patients under 60 years old are twice as likely to need hospital care of ventilation if they were obese. The researchers were surprised that there was no link between smoking and an increased risk of falling ill with the virus.
Around 5% of all COVID-19 hospital admissions were tobacco users, they are three times less than 15% of smokers in New York City, which is one of the cities that has been hit hard by the virus. It is not clear why this is the case.
The researchers also added that elderly people are more likely to succumb to the virus because the immune system weakens as people age. As for obese patients, they are more prone to serious infection because their immune system is preoccupied with trying to repair inflammation caused by carrying excess fat.
Obesity and coronavirus
In separate research, it was highlighted that obesity is the main driver behind patients under 60 years old needing hospital care. The report was published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, and it looked at the records of 3,615 patients who tested positive between March 4 and April 4.
The report found those with a BMI of more than 30 were twice as likely to be admitted to the hospital for critical care. The researchers wrote in the study that obesity in people who are under 60 years old is a newly identified epidemiological risk factor, and it can contribute to increased morbidity rates that are experienced in the United States.
Studies have also shown that obese people are more likely to suffer complications or die from infections. Medical experts say that the immune systems of obese people are constantly ramped up as they try to protect and repair the damage inflammation causes to cells.
Because all of the energy in fending off inflammation was already used, the body's defense system has little energy left to defend against the coronavirus. Obese people are also known to eat a diet with very little antioxidants and fiber, which keeps the immune system healthy.
The excess weight also makes it more difficult for the lungs and the diaphragm to expand and inhale oxygen. Without oxygen, organs will begin to fail. These factors explain why obese people's lungs tend to deteriorate faster when the coronavirus strikes, compared to a healthy person.
Doctors are now calling everyone to boost the immune system by exercising, eating fruits and vegetables, avoid smoking and watching your BMI in order to combat COVID-19.
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