Fat people even more likely to be affected by COVID than previously thought

[pocketem]

UK government scientists are urgently investigating whether people living with obesity may be disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, after emerging data from intensive care units suggested a stronger link than previously thought.

New data from the UK’s Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre, which has been presented to ministers and SAGE scientists, has found that the proportion of severely obese patients in ICUs is twice the proportion in the general population.

Ministers have become increasingly alarmed by data coming out of Britain’s intensive care units, with some members of the government suggesting obesity may end up being a factor in the UK’s higher death toll.

The UK is currently projected to have the highest number of coronavirus deaths in Europe. Around 1 in 4 UK adults are obese. In 2018, the WHO found that the UK had the third highest obesity rate in Europe, behind only Malta and Turkey.

More here:
www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/alexwickham/uk-scientists-coronavirus-obesity-link

@0DETTE have you ever lost a large amount of weight? For most people in that situation it does take years and there are many slip ups because you don't get significantly overweight without having a very difficult relationship with food

He will be, @YouStupidBoy, plus he’s also even bigger than me!

Some people might be like that but obesity for many is something that happens over decades it doesn’t get resolved overnight.

I know. Which makes it more unfathomable tbh not less. Everyone hit that BMI of 30 stage at some point. At that point, we all have a choice to think, "fuck me!" and change our eating habits or, "fuck it" and continue.

As you say, it doesn't happen overnight it was a pattern of choice and behaviour over many years.

As for carb cravings mentioned by others. If you have a low carb diet then you simply don't get carb cravings. Even in the middle of the night.

@SunshineSmellsLikeSummer

There are lots of reasons why someone might think 'fuck it' and continue or night not even notice at all. Instead of feeling superior, be grateful that this isn't something you struggle with and move on.

I know. Which makes it more unfathomable tbh not less.

You evidently don’t have a clue about the complexities around it. Many people yo-yo and lose weight and then pile it back on again. I have done that. Many people have low self esteem and overeating is almost an act of self harm, hardly surprising when there are people all over the place telling them how stupid, weak and lazy they are. No one is going to get into a good place to lose weight and keep it off when their self esteem and feelings of self worth are through the floor. You evidently don’t understand a massively complex issue, and that’s fine, but don’t make out you do.

We all KNOW what the problem is and how to solve it. If it was easy no one would be overweight but people often have complex issues with food and mental health difficulties. Would you tell an alcoholic or a drug addict to “just stop drinking/taking drugs”? Well you might, but it’s kind of accepted that the problems run deeper than that.

I don’t blame anyone but me for how I have ended up but I am very, very far from stupid, weak and lazy, I can assure you of that.

Another bold fail ffs

Obviously if any of us had an easy answer to help people get down to say 10 stone we would be milliionaires although in a sense the answer is simple - eat a lot less. May be we need CV19 to be a wake up call to all of us to lose some weight (other than those underweight) and that threat of death and not being around for the children might help people eat less (and ideally eat better foods too). or some other state campaign which is a bit harder hitting than they have had so far. "Save the NHS lose weight "or something like that.

@esjee

Yes I have. I tried for years by cutting back slightly and exercising. I took up running and trained for a marathon. I lose very little weight.

Because it was nearly all about food. I had to find a whole new way of eating, which for me was LCHF. Then I’ve had to stick at it forever.

Going on a diet doesn’t work if you tell yourself that you will be strict for a month or two, lose the weight and then go back to your former lifestyle as a reward to yourself for ‘being good’.

It’s very hard to motivate yourself if you tell yourself that it will be years to make any difference to your health. What’s the point of eating well today if you don’t get the benefit for three years ?

I’m not a doctor but I don't think its true medically either. If you have type 2 diabetes you can put it into remission if you lose 10% of your body weight. That wont take years for most people.

Of course if someone is 25 stone then it will take some time to get to 15 stone. But most people on these threads are not 10 stone overweight ( i know some are ).

We’ve been on lockdown for, what, about 7 weeks? Lots of people have lost a stone in that time. If you are very overweight you could have lost quite a bit more.

I’m not saying any of this is easy. Of course it’s a huge change to your whole lifestyle. I’m just wondering if it’s really “ years “ for most people to see any health gain, because thats not my experience.

@0DETTE losing weight is actually quite easy initially for a lot of obese people, you're right, but unless they deal with underlying issues with food they will put it back on quickly. The 'years' doesn't refer to the actual weightloss but reaching a place where this can be maintsined longterm. A lot of people do not seem able to maintain long term at all and probably never will without some mental health intervention at the very least.

@esjee

If you mean it takes years to reeducate yourself about food and deal with underlying issues then I totally agree with you. For some people they will always find it hard to eat just one biscuit and not the whole packet. Or stop telling themselves that they are deprived and hard done to if they can’t have a carry out several times a week.

But I think that most people who lose a lot of weight see a health gain within months. Which in the context of Covid19 is very important.

Don’t worry after this, the country will be so poor we will be back on rations, no more fat people. The generation who were born in war time seem to be the healthiest. the diet made sure everyone got what the body needed, most had vegetable plots in their gardens.

Of course it’s a huge change to your whole lifestyle. I’m just wondering if it’s really “ years “ for most people to see any health gain, because thats not my experience.

It won’t be years so see a health gain no, as that can happen at a much lower level of weight loss, say 5 or 10% of body weight. But to be “not obese” will take years, if that’s the benchmark.

@Mikki2019 nope, some of my colleagues would have protein balls and stuff instead of anything sugary and carby, but I couldn't manage that hah. Not sure what the answer is really, plenty of tasty packed lunches with slow release energy etc, but I don't know about anyone else but I could never face a big meal at a ridiculous time of night; left my stomach in tatters.

Strangelookingparasites, so do I. So I always carry a couple of healthy snacks. Packed lunch. Not impossible.

Some of the attitudes on this thread are lacking in knowledge and sensitivity.

Yes on one level weight is eating the right amount for your calorie needs.

The problem is that those calorie needs differ based on so many factors including physiological ones like illness, disability, medications, depression, stress etc.

We are all a product of our genes and our experiences. Yes there are genetics for metabolism, weight gain and ability to recognise or feel fullness. Your experiences will interact with those. Two people can eat exactly the same and do the same exercise and be very different weights 🤷‍♀️

Technically if you exercised enough and didn't eat too much for you then you'd lose weight. But the speed of that and what it would take would vary hugely.

Your experience of doing it would also matter. If you're poor, stressed, rushed off your feet, little time for yourself the experience of doing it might be so tough and slow you'd stop. Often if you solved those things the person might find it bearable to make those changes.

Then along comes someone who can lose a pound or two a week with the metabolism, time, money and peace to do so criticising you 🤦‍♀️

It’s easy to gain weight by eating an extra biscuit a day and taking the lift at work rather than the stairs.

Sorry to derail but not true for everyone.
I'm a skinny person who's tried and failed to gain weight for years. And I've had a lot of extra biscuits .

Slartibartfast, one extra biscuit a day does not a fat person make

The tiniest person I've known was also the laziest, and lived on mars bars and coke from vending machines.

@Pickles89 you are not alone. Many overweight and obese people on MN share an office with someone who is size 6 and eats fish and chips for every meal.

Some of them even share a home with their colleague and socialise together and even eat every single meal together so they can swear that they eat nothing but Fish and chips AND do zero exercise. Oh and they are always the same age and height as well.

Most people who want to lose weight would be better off noting down what they eat and drink and paying less attention to other people and constantly telling themselves how unfair life is and that they should be entitled to eat more.

Yes life is unfair. But you can either deal with it and make the changes you need, however tough that may be.

Or you can do the same as you are doing now and risk your health and your children’s future.

Yes of course it’s easier if you are young, rich, have a personal trainer and your own gym at home. But there’s no point for most of us waiting until we get these things to lose weight.

Yes it’s tougher if you are poor, isolated, work shifts , are middle aged, or have other health problems. No one is saying it’s not. But the poor health associated with obesity will be even worse for that person.

@0DETTE think you need to calm down and have a biscuit or a carrot stick depending on preference.

I live with my DP we literally have the same meals (although he Eats biscuits in between), he does sweet f all exercise doesn't even walk the dog and never seems to put on weight. I think he's put on a grand total of a 5lbs in the time we've been together (and goes between his original weight and 5lbs more regularly). I literally see what he eats and how much he does!

@grumpyorange

Is your partner the same sex, height and weight as you ? If not, that might affect the way you use calories. Because science.

Oh and telling posters to “calm down” because they say something you disagree with is patronising. Disagree with the point - don’t make personal attacks.

An interesting read about obesity among nurses.

@XingMing so at the start it says it shouldn't be dressed up as anything more complex then leading an unhealthy lifestyle then says

"It is not choice however, when during a busy shift, you are surrounded by carefully designed, hyperpalatable, addictive, cheap processed foods, that take advantage of brain biochemistry to induce dependence that are injurious to human health."

So which is it. Is it a choice or is it a biochemistry issue...

It contradicts itself throughout and doesn't give and credible sources

@xenia

How utterly horrific of you to say!

If you ever end up in hospital for anything would you accept help off these obese nurses and doctors?

Very interested in what job you do, is it healthcare. Would like to see you work a 12+ hour shift and just skip the meals