BREAKING! COVID-19 Updates: Study Shows Obesity Influences Mortality in COVID-19 Patients
Source: COVID-19 Updates Apr 28, 2020 4 years, 7 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 10 hours, 8 minutes ago
COVID-19 Updates: Medical researchers from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health have found based on meta-analysis of reports and data of COVID-19 patients from Italy and China, as well as data from the H1N1 influenza pandemic, that obesity is likely a pre-existing condition that can exacerbate COVID-19.
Dr Carlos Santos-Burgoa, Professor of Global Health, and Dr William Dietz, chair of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness, published their research findings in the journal
Obesity.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.22818
Medical Researchers studying the H1N1 pandemic found that obesity led to decreased respiratory function, difficulties with ventilation and increased inflammatory cytokines ie the proteins regulating inflammatory response, all of which contributed to likelihood of death.
It was also concluded that the same problems may be occurring with COVID-19 patients who have obesity, Drs. Dietz and Santos-Burgoa said.
Dr Santos-Burgoa commented, "The H1N1 influenza experience should serve as a caution for the care of COVID patients with obesity, and particularly patients with severe obesity.”
It must be noted that obesity in the United States has been on the rise.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 42 percent of all adults in the U.S. suffer from obesity or severe obesity.
Drs Dietz and Dr Santos-Burgoa further added,” Increased mortality from COVID-19 in Italy might be related to a higher prevalence of adult obesity there as compared to China. These observations emphasize the need for increased vigilance, priority on detection and testing, and aggressive therapy for patients with obesity and COVID-19 infections."
Obese individuals and families with obese relatives should pay more attention to their safety and to take extra precautionary measures during this trying times.
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