Being overweight is a underlying condition

[Oakmaiden]

I had totally missed this.

If you have a BMI above 40 then you are considered to be at high risk and should self isolate for 12 weeks.

Anyone know why?

The simple solution is not to put food in your mouth if you have a high BMI. Snack on veg and go out running! More fun than gorging on chocolate.

I’d rather be fat than be a pious hypocrite.
I do need to shift some weight and I know it, I own it and I’m doing it. I hope I never lose any humility.

There's no point arguing about why people are morbidly obese. That's a whole other thread.

It's a fact that morbidly obese people are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and should take extra precautions (like any other person in a higher risk group).

This is what the thread was about originally. Asking why they are more vulnerable.

I think everyone is stressed tonight so maybe this thread isn’t a great idea... CALM THE F DOWN EVERYONE!

think everyone is stressed tonight so maybe this thread isn’t a great idea

It wasn't meant to be like this.

I only wanted to know if anyone had seen any stats/research. sobs

TbH I think as we are at 90% capacity already there will be no beds for any of us whatever the circumstances or underlying conditions.
So we need to accept that and do what we can to ensure we with underlying conditions don't end up needing a bed. Whatever that action is. (TbH I think smokers come first there as can be done immediately. ) others like asthmatics and diabetics will need to manage their condition as well as possible. The point is none of us want anyone to die. (Which is why many of us wanted the schools shut much earlier).

The simple solution is not to put food in your mouth if you have a high BMI

This is sort of true but I bet you wouldn’t go on a thread started by an anorexic and tell then they just need to put food in their mouths.

@zonkin And that is fine. But there is a big proportion of the population that hates fat people. This thread was bound to bring them out.

And no you dont see similar judgemental comments about any other type of unhealthy lifestyle factor.

Obese people are more likely to have breathing difficulties and cardiovascular poor health making them less able to fight off infection

I would imagine the reason for morbidly obese people being high risk is that they must be difficult to ventilate as surely the additional layers of fat would press down on the lungs? Also the heart has to work harder to move oxygen around the body. I do hope that it does not come down to doctors having to choose who gets a respirator but I guess if it does they are going to choose the person who stands the best chance of getting better.

@HistoryKitty
Apologies.
99% due to lifestyle choice
1% due to thyroid issue.

My BMI is over 40 and I'm trying to get my head around what to do. Working from home is not an option for me as I'm a teacher. With the schools ceasing to function as normal from Friday I don't know what will be expected next week.
I know I need to do the right thing and socially isolate myself. Do I have to tell my employer why I need to socially isolate?

Please be gentle as nobody can hate me more than myself at the moment for getting myself in this situation.

Obviously it's a rough guide not exact, somebody who has a BMI of 41 could be in considerably better shape than somebody with a BMI of 39. But in general people in the morbidly obese category are more likely to need more help and more complicated help in hospital. Also it is crude tools like BMI, blood pressure, age, and underlying conditions that will be the way they decide who to prioritise for ventilators and ICU/ITU if it comes to that

no one expected this, we all quite understandably expected to carry on living in a world where health conditions could be managed and we could carry on with our lives.

Going, I think you could probaby say you are high risk and self isolating - I don't think they should really be asking you why. I have a friend who is worried about self isolating for this reason (a medic, he really does need to be careful but doesn't want to broadcast his at risk reason to everyone.)

My BMI is bang on 40

I am fat. Really fucking fat. I don't understand why anyone would contest that a BMI of 40 isn't seriously unhealthy.

I'm starting a diet tomorrow.

No way I'm isolating for 12 weeks cause I'm a lardarse.

Do I have to tell my employer why I need to socially isolate?

I don’t think so, but I think they will already know why, or be able to guess it’s weight related. Please don’t hate yourself it does no good.💐

I’ve been many healthy and unhealthy weights over the years. It won’t only be those with high bmi’s who will be adviced to isolate, but also those on the other end of the scale.

When I was obese. I have no underlying health issues, didn’t help me get up the stairs. Walk around. Run for a bus? You having a laugh. Oh yea, even laughing was at times difficult to catch my breathe.

I’ve been at the higher end of normal. I required surgery. To help I was adviced to not put on weight, if anything losing it was the preferred option.

So I can absolutely understand why specific groups of people are being targeted. I know what it feels like.

I’m getting the same 12 week advice. As long as I have somewhere to pee I’m fine. It’s annoying of course. I’m willing to do whatever I can to help stop the spread and to ensure my arse doesn’t land up on one of those beds.

I’m sorry to say it won’t be which patient. It will be no bed. Putting aside everything else. When it comes to it, you have to listen to advice. Those under this bmi at the moment have a fighting chance of a bed.

When those hard decision comes from the medical staff, there is no saying they have an empty bed to face this scenario. They don’t have a massive stock of bigger beds to begin with.

It’s not about fat shaming or blaming. It’s about doing whatever you can to help things. It’s in your own best interest to stay away from people.

It’s no different to me staying away because I know once I end up in there, they might not have what’s needed. I accept cos I pee a lot I need to avoid people. I’ve been socially avoiding people for weeks.

@NotDisclosedToday

8% of women in the UK. 15% in women over 60.

I found this discussion interesting

How many people worldwide will die from COVID-19, the disease caused by a novel coronavirus? Estimates range into the millions, but New York University law professor Richard Epstein says such guesses fail to take into account all the actions that are already taking place to contain and suppress the pandemic.

Please be gentle as nobody can hate me more than myself at the moment for getting myself in this situation

Don't hate yourself. Thinking ahead, it's likely teachers will have a shitload of work when school resumes and that's when you really will be needed. Therefore you must protect your health. When the danger has passed, you'll be able to help get things back up and running again.

Did anyone receive the letter saying to isolate for 12 weeks because of their BMI?

MashedPotatoBrainz

Surely that won't happen unless somebody is actually being treated for their weight with bariatric surgery. Otherwise most people's BMI won't be on their medical records as a medical condition and won't trigger an automated system.

Those text messages are a very blunt instrument.

Many people have never been formally diagnosed with a condition so won't get a text.

Surely everyone's BMI is on their medical records? My GP surgery does a check up of blood pressure, weight, whether you smoke etc every couple of years so that if something does arise then they at least know the starting point of your basic health.

would you not have tons of issue on top of your BMI is so high other than just being highly obese?

Can you have this BMI and not have e.g. diabetes or a heart under strain?