Obesity and overweight: risk factors for COVID-19 patients

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 11 (ACN) Obesity and overweight are high-risk factors for COVID-19 patients who must receive invasive mechanical ventilation, according to a study cited by the Infomed website of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health.

The research, carried out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, explains that, based on the analysis of 148,494 U.S. adults infected with the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus, the body mass index (BMI) has a direct relationship with the severity of the disease.

In this regard, the researchers clarify that the patients with the greatest complications associated with the disease were those whose BMI was close to the threshold between healthy weight and overweight, whereas obesity was a risk factor for hospitalization and death, especially among adults under 65 years of age.

This study also considers several implications of the pandemic on people with obesity, in relation to the possible difficulties in the management of hospitalized patients, the implications of confinement on the control and treatment of obesity, and the stigma that these individuals suffer because of their condition, which may be increased if the relationship of obesity with COVID-19 is confirmed.
These findings highlight the clinical and public health implications of higher BMI, including the need for intensive disease management associated with COVID-19, continued prioritization of vaccination and facemask use, and policy development to support healthy behaviors.