Obesity increases risk of covid-19 fatality by 50% and may make a vaccine less effective in obese individuals

[HerstoryInTheMaking]

"The study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that people with obesity, with a BMI over 30, are at greater risk from the coronavirus in every way. Their risk of ending up in hospital with Covid-19 is increased by 113%, they are more likely to be admitted to intensive care (74%) and have a higher risk of death (48%) from the virus."

Could this be why the UK and USA have been much more severely affected considering both countries have high obesity rates of 40% and 30% respectively.

[HerstoryInTheMaking]

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/26/obesity-increases-risk-of-covid-19-death-by-48-study-finds?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

[Alex50]

Yes probably. I’ve always thought this, we all need to try to be healthier

[Beebityboo]

I've lost 2 stone in lockdown but still have a Bmi of 35 and the kids go back to school next week. I'm so worried .

[moonlight1705]

I am intrigued as to what part of obesity is the key factor. I am obese but have perfect blood pressure, not even close to diabetes and low cholesterol. I also exercise frequently but do have hypothyroidism.

So does it affect on a cellular level? Is there something that cannot be measured that causes it or would I be ok as I don't have the other co-morbidities?

[Heffalooomia]

My understanding is that it's to do with inflammation which tends to result from fat being stored in areas where the body is not well adapted to handle it
So fat stored around the organs and the midsection is more harmful than fat stored subcutaneously in the hips and thighs

[HerstoryInTheMaking]

I have also read that an enzyme in fat cells is more susceptible to infection and therefore results in higher viral load.

[Keepdistance]

Probably several reasons
Obese often have lower vit d
High blood sugar
The weight on chest harder to breathe and ventilate
And yes inflamation

Could they be more prone to blood clots? I guess you could assume less exercise?
Lower general vitamins
Higher bad fats

But ot is cyclical too. Lower vit d means less good control of blood sugar and weight gain.

[SaltyAndFresh]

I have a BMI of 33.5, partly due to PCOS and partly due to overeating and drinking during a period of depression while my DM was terminally ill. I really struggle to shift it and the extent of the government drive so far is just a series of blunt adverts. I'm due in a classroom in front of 300 secondary school students per week next week, with no social distancing possible and leaving me with very little time for exercise. I will do the best I can to lose it myself, but there is nothing at all in place to help me.

Please can we bear this sort of situation in mind before any fat-bashing kicks off? (I'm not at all saying that this has already happened on this thread.)

[Redolent]

Eat out to help out (the virus). Why were fast food places like McDonalds eligible anyway?

[Jrobhatch29]

@Heffalooomia

My understanding is that it's to do with inflammation which tends to result from fat being stored in areas where the body is not well adapted to handle it
So fat stored around the organs and the midsection is more harmful than fat stored subcutaneously in the hips and thighs

Yes I read a study from new york I think about this. The fat in lungs makes it easier for the virus to take hold.

Pretty shocking statistics really

[iswhois]

It's to do with the level of hospital care you can be given also

May struggle finding veins, inserting breathing tubes or carrying out scans in obese patients , several nurses to turn you as opposed to just one etc

[uglyface]

@SaltyAndFresh Similar BMI here, also PCOS and a teacher, though primary!

I hope to be able to drop weight like I did in June and July by not eating until dinner time - can’t have breaks or lunch when the children have to be supervised in bubbles rather than en masse on the playground, and we all know we’ll prioritise marking in any free moments. You get a pounding headache by the end of the day, but it’s worth it.

I don’t know what it’s like in secondary - may work for you too?

[Realitea]

My BMI is 32 at the moment. I'm a size 12/14. I never thought I was that overweight before. This is really worrying. I need to really start thinking about what I'm eating. My job is physically demanding and really exhausting, I don't eat that much but when I do it's the wrong stuff.
I take vit d supplements but I think my downfall is sweet foods to 'keep me going' for energy as I'm also anaemic and struggle sometimes with tiredness. All this needs addressing now.

[SaltyAndFresh]

[quote uglyface]@SaltyAndFresh Similar BMI here, also PCOS and a teacher, though primary!

I hope to be able to drop weight like I did in June and July by not eating until dinner time - can’t have breaks or lunch when the children have to be supervised in bubbles rather than en masse on the playground, and we all know we’ll prioritise marking in any free moments. You get a pounding headache by the end of the day, but it’s worth it.

I don’t know what it’s like in secondary - may work for you too?[/quote]
I don't think I'll be able to find anywhere sanitary to eat, so that could work as a solution

[Redolent]

@Realitea

My BMI is 32 at the moment. I'm a size 12/14. I never thought I was that overweight before. This is really worrying. I need to really start thinking about what I'm eating. My job is physically demanding and really exhausting, I don't eat that much but when I do it's the wrong stuff.
I take vit d supplements but I think my downfall is sweet foods to 'keep me going' for energy as I'm also anaemic and struggle sometimes with tiredness. All this needs addressing now.

Good luck. I know it's incredibly tough.

[mylittlesandwich]

I have to block this out to a certain extent. I've been steadily loosing weight since I had DS but my BMI has only just dipped below 40.

[InDeoEstMeaFiducia]

@Redolent

Eat out to help out (the virus). Why were fast food places like McDonalds eligible anyway?

You don't have to eat fat-laden food from there. They sell salads, carrot batons, grilled chicken, bottled water as a drink. There was even a Greggs diet on How to Lose Weight on C4 last year and the guy lost a couple of stone on it.

[SaltyAndFresh]

Eat Out to Help Out was an illogical waste of money given that everyone has been desperate to get out after lockdown anyway. Why not just give grants to struggling businesses? Obviously the money would've been even better spent making schools safer, but they're not money-spinners.

[Keepdistance]

Ive got lean pcos but now gone up to 25 bmi.
But when ttc i lost weight. Using my fitness pal. Walking at lunchtime. Wii fit.
Are you on metformin?
Do you eat breakfast?

[SaltyAndFresh]

@Keepdistance

Ive got lean pcos but now gone up to 25 bmi.
But when ttc i lost weight. Using my fitness pal. Walking at lunchtime. Wii fit.
Are you on metformin?
Do you eat breakfast?

No Metformin. Walking won't do it for me - I always do 10k+. I know what I need to do, which is lots of strenuous exercise and low calories but it's joyless which is why I haven't succeeded. I don't fancy my chances under this kind of stress but will definitely tell myself I'll give it a go.

[KitKatastrophe]

@Redolent

Eat out to help out (the virus). Why were fast food places like McDonalds eligible anyway?

Because they employ thousands of people and those people would be made redundant if the business went bust or the branch closed down.
People arent obese just because mcdonalds exists.

[HerstoryInTheMaking]

I didnt post this thread to alarm, fat shame etc.

My BMI is high at 28 so I am not far off being overweight.

I hopefully like others am using this info to try and lose weight. I wish everyone else success. Its a real motivator.

[KitKatastrophe]

Doesnt obesity make you more susceptible to all sorts of diseases and disorders? It's not that surprising that covid is one of them.

[stayathomer]

It's funny though because I also hear a number of reports that coronovirus affects fit people very badly, that it seems to attack their lungs. I run a lot and have had covid and now a few weeks later am getting chest pains etc and doctor said he'd had a number of runners that were the same, probably that we had a higher lung capacity or something

[lifesalongsong]

@Redolent

Eat out to help out (the virus). Why were fast food places like McDonalds eligible anyway?

This comes up time and time again, assuming you ate 3 meals a day on the days when the scheme was running that would have been 39 out of the over nearly 1100 you eat in a year, no one seriously thinks this will make someone obese or stop an already obese person losing weight do they?

I checked the rules of the scheme, nowhere does it say that you have to eat at McDonalds or that you have to eat an unhealthy meal, it's a lazy observation that doesn't hold up under any kind of scrutiny