Even With Mild COVID, Obesity May Mean Worse Symptoms

One professional not a part of the examine, Dr. Nicholas Kman, identified that even vaccinated sufferers can get a gentle case of COVID-19.

“We additionally know that when the immune system is compromised, like in extreme weight problems, we do not mount nearly as good a response to the vaccine,” mentioned Kman, an emergency drugs doctor at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.

“This is why it is crucial for sufferers with threat components, like aged age and weight problems, to get the booster vaccine when it’s their flip,” he mentioned. “The neatest thing an unvaccinated affected person, with or with out threat components, can do is get the vaccine after which work on these wholesome way of life adjustments.”

Dr. David Katz is president of True Health Initiative, which promotes wholesome residing as the easiest way to forestall illness. He mentioned that all through the pandemic, COVID-19 has focused choose teams.

“Even earlier than a pandemic was declared, knowledge from China and South Korea indicated that SARS-CoV-2 was not a one-size-fits-all menace,” mentioned Katz, who wasn’t concerned with the examine.

Advanced age and continual situations, together with coronary heart illness, diabetes and weight problems, had been related to elevated dangers of extreme an infection, Katz mentioned. This sample continued as COVID-19 unfold all over the world, resulting in marked variations in hospitalization and deaths amongst populations.

This paper expands that view of variable threat for worse outcomes to incorporate these with milder illness, Katz mentioned.

“It additionally reminds that the slow-motion pandemics of weight problems and continual sickness have made the acute COVID pandemic far worse than it wanted to be, each amongst these hospitalized, and even amongst these with milder illness,” he mentioned.

“These findings add to the already compelling case for defending towards the specter of acute pandemics by doing much more to advertise normal good well being, together with wholesome weight, for the inhabitants at massive,” Katz mentioned.

The report was revealed Oct. 20 within the journal Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.

More info

For extra on COVID-19 and weight problems, see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Pia Pannaraj, MD, MPH, pediatric infectious illness specialist, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; David Katz, MD, MPH, president, True Health Initiative; Nicholas Kman, MD, emergency drugs doctor, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus; Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, Oct. 20, 2021