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Obesity: the New Risk Factor for Covid-19 Severity
We know that data collected from Covid-19 studies across the globe shows that age is a common risk factor in the severity of the disease. Put simply, older people get sicker from Covid-19. In Canada, patients 60 and over make up only 36% of Covid-19 cases, but 67% of hospitalizations and 95% of fatalities. Now, research from New York City has found a new relationship between obesity and Covid-19.
In their study conducted throughout March 2020, Jennifer Lighter and colleagues from New York University Langone Health, found an unusually high percentage of obese young people (<60 years old) were more than twice as likely to be admitted to acute and critical for treatment of Covid-19, than thinner patients.(1)
They looked at 3615 people who tested positive; 775 (21%) had a body mass index (BMI) 30-34, and 595 (16% of the total cohort) had a BMI >35. Their analysis showed a significant difference in admission to ICU among patients <60 years of age with varying BMIs. Younger patients, defined as less than 60 years old, with BMIs 30-34 were 2.2 times more likely to be admitted to acute and critical care, and those < 60 with a BMI > 35 were 3.6 times more likely, compared to people with BMI’s <30 of the same age. (2) Even though younger people are generally considered lower risk, this study shows that obesity is a health factor when it comes to this new coronavirus.
In Canada, 20% of adults 18-39 and 31% of 40-59 year olds are considered medically obese.(3) Obesity is frequently considered a risk factor in cardiovascular health impacting blood pressure and diabetes. It now appears that being significantly overweight can make the Covid-19 illness more severe.
Stay healthy and stay safe.
Author: Mark Beaton, Sr. Vice President of Marketing, BIOS Medical
Sources:
[1,2]Obesity in patients younger than 60 years is a risk factor for Covid-19 hospital admission
Authors: Jennifer Lighter MD, Michael Phillips MD, Sarah Hochman MD, Stephanie Sterling MD, Diane Johnson MD, Fritz Francois MD, Anna Stachel, MPH
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases; 2Department of Infection Prevention and Control; Department of Infectious Diseases
NYU School of Medicine/NYU Langone Health, New York NY
[3] Obesity in Canadian Adults, 2016 and 2017, Statistics Canada. Canadian Health Measures Survey
In their study conducted throughout March 2020, Jennifer Lighter and colleagues from New York University Langone Health, found an unusually high percentage of obese young people (<60 years old) were more than twice as likely to be admitted to acute and critical for treatment of Covid-19, than thinner patients.(1)
They looked at 3615 people who tested positive; 775 (21%) had a body mass index (BMI) 30-34, and 595 (16% of the total cohort) had a BMI >35. Their analysis showed a significant difference in admission to ICU among patients <60 years of age with varying BMIs. Younger patients, defined as less than 60 years old, with BMIs 30-34 were 2.2 times more likely to be admitted to acute and critical care, and those < 60 with a BMI > 35 were 3.6 times more likely, compared to people with BMI’s <30 of the same age. (2) Even though younger people are generally considered lower risk, this study shows that obesity is a health factor when it comes to this new coronavirus.
In Canada, 20% of adults 18-39 and 31% of 40-59 year olds are considered medically obese.(3) Obesity is frequently considered a risk factor in cardiovascular health impacting blood pressure and diabetes. It now appears that being significantly overweight can make the Covid-19 illness more severe.
Stay healthy and stay safe.
Author: Mark Beaton, Sr. Vice President of Marketing, BIOS Medical
Sources:
[1,2]Obesity in patients younger than 60 years is a risk factor for Covid-19 hospital admission
Authors: Jennifer Lighter MD, Michael Phillips MD, Sarah Hochman MD, Stephanie Sterling MD, Diane Johnson MD, Fritz Francois MD, Anna Stachel, MPH
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases; 2Department of Infection Prevention and Control; Department of Infectious Diseases
NYU School of Medicine/NYU Langone Health, New York NY
[3] Obesity in Canadian Adults, 2016 and 2017, Statistics Canada. Canadian Health Measures Survey
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