According to a shocking revelation from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), almost four-fifths of severe Covid Hospitalizations were for overweight and obese patients.
While the negative health consequences from carrying excess body fat have been more than well documented; from insulin resistance to chronic inflammation being responsible to the bulk of diseases, to suffering a higher likelihood of contracting cancer or cardiovascular problems: there are no upsides to obesity.
In the past, we have listed why carrying excess body fat is undesirable, burgeoning movements supporting an effort to normalize obesity such as “fat acceptance” and “body positivity” have attempted to downplay the damaging effects of such a harmful, yet reversible, health crisis.
Obesity Responsible for More Than Half of Covid Hospitalizations
Now, the CDC has found that the vast majority of Covid hospitalizations are overweight and obese patients, clocking in at a massive 78%.
More alarmingly, within the bulky 78% figure, over half (50.2%) of Covid hospitalizations were obese patients, with the remainder being overweight.
For perspective, 42.4% of US adults are considered obese.
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The study sampled 71,491 adults who were diagnosed with the coronavirus and admitted to some 238 hospitals around the USA with the nine-month period between March and December 2020.
The news was broken on Twitter with the post: “The risk of severe #COVID19 illness rises sharply with elevated body mass index, especially for people younger than 65, a new @CDCMMWR finds.”
“People with obesity or overweight can take steps to protect against #COVID19: Wear a well-fitting mask, avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, stay 6 feet apart from others, and get a vaccine when it’s available to you,” The CDC added.
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In the study, The CDC noted: “Obesity* is a recognized risk factor for severe COVID-19 (1,2), possibly related to chronic inflammation that disrupts immune and thrombogenic responses to pathogens (3) as well as to impaired lung function from excess weight (4). Obesity is a common metabolic disease, affecting 42.4% of U.S. adults (5), and is a risk factor for other chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.“
To qualify as obese, the patient’s Body Mass Index (BMI) would have to be above 30; to qualify as obese, it would need to fall in the 25-30 range.
There was a positive correlation for every increase in BMI, the likelihood of dangerous and invasive treatments also increased for Covid hospitalizations.
“Risk for invasive mechanical ventilation increased over the full range of BMIs, from 15 kg/m2 to 60 kg/m2. As clinicians develop care plans for COVID-19 patients, they should consider the risk for severe outcomes in patients with higher BMIs, especially for those with severe obesity.
“These findings highlight the clinical and public health implications of higher BMIs, including the need for intensive COVID-19 illness management as obesity severity increases, promotion of COVID-19 prevention strategies including continued vaccine prioritization (6) and masking, and policies to ensure community access to nutrition and physical activities that promote and support a healthy BMI,” the CDC added.
Another undesirable feature of the past year’s lockdowns has been a collective crash weight gain.
In addition to higher BMIs contributing to the likelihood of Covid hospitalization, a shocking number of people reported undesirable weight gain since lockdowns began.
Millennials, once branded “The Most Obese Generation,” reported the most staggering weight gain with 48% of those polled claiming to have gained weight.
And out of those 48% claiming to have gained weight, the average weight gain was 41lb.
The unwanted weight gain across the board could spell long-lasting health ramifications in the future — including more Covid hospitalizations.
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