The worsening obesity crisis in the United States increases the risk of serious COVID-19 infection in 42% of adults

While American obesity is the highest ever, studies show a strong link between obesity and the serious COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appears Infection, according to new reports.

According to the annual Obesity Status, adult obesity rates in the United States reached 42.4% in 2019 Report From trust for American health. The authors of the report said this year’s findings are the first time the national rate has exceeded 40%.

Country rates are considered more accurate than state rates. This is because country rates are based on clinic measurements rather than self-reported state rates by residents.

Tennessee and Alabama, along with Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia, have the highest self-reported obesity rates. It was one of. The rate in all 12 states is over 35%.

The adult obesity rate in Mississippi is the highest in the country at 40.8%, and Colorado is the lowest at 23.8%. The obesity rate in Georgia is 33.1%.

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (also known as BMI, a measure of body fat based on height and weight) of 30 or higher, and is classified as a disease by the American Medical Association. It is associated with many medical problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, bone and joint disorders, certain cancers, and reduced lifespan.

However, concerns about the effects of obesity extend to a new dimension of COVID-19. Obesity is one of the underlying health conditions associated with the most serious consequences of coronavirus infection, such as hospitalization and death.

“These new data mean that 42% of all Americans are at increased risk of serious and even fatal health effects of COVID-19 due to obesity-related weight and health status. I will do it, “said the report.

Many of the conditions associated with obesity COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appears AP also reported that there is evidence that patients are unable to overcome the disease and that obesity itself may increase the likelihood of serious complications from coronavirus infection.

Dr. Hymepons, Medical Director of the CHI Memorial Weight Management Center, said part of the problem was that adipose tissue caused shortness of breath, making it difficult for the body to absorb oxygen.

“they [obese COVID-19 patients] You will either get a pneumonia-type infection and you will either be unable to resist the infection or will need oxygen sooner than a healthy person, “Ponce said. “

He also said that obese people may have a hard time fighting the coronavirus because fat cells provide additional receptors for the virus to attach and the virus has more chances to replicate in the human body. ..

1 Investigation Of the more than 5,200 infected individuals, including 35% who were obese, the likelihood of hospitalization is for those with a higher BMI, even taking into account other conditions that may be at risk. I found that it had risen.

Another problem is chronic inflammation, which is often accompanied by obesity. Inflammation is a natural way for people’s bodies to fight harmful invaders like viruses. However, long-lasting inflammation is unhealthy and can compromise the body’s defenses in the event of a real threat.

“It’s like pouring gasoline into a smoldering fire,” Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, an obesity researcher at Tufts University’s School of Nutrition Science and Policy near Boston, told The Associated Press.

Thursday’s report is based in part on data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Monitoring System by the US Center for Disease Control and Analysis and analysis by Trust for America’s Health.

“To resolve the national obesity crisis, we need to address the living conditions of people who lead to food insecurity, which impedes healthy eating options and safe physical activity. This year’s pandemic shows that these conditions not only increase the risk of obesity and chronic illness, but also the risk of the consequences of the most serious COVID. We will increase it, “John Auerbach, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, said in a report.

According to the report, as of 2012, no state has an adult obesity rate above 35%. In 2000, no state had an adult obesity rate of more than 25%.

Ponce said the food industry is strong and modern lifestyles often lack sufficient levels of physical activity, making it a difficult battle to reverse the obesity crisis in the United States.

But there is some progress, he said. For example, food labels contain more information, and some states require restaurants to list the number of calories in a menu item.

“Tennessee has the problem of obesity and I think I have to be conscious. People also need to be aware that there is treatment and management,” Ponce said. “There are many ways this problem can help with diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. There are even medications, and of course there are some for severe obesity. Surgical options You can use it. People don’t have to feel that there is no solution to this. “

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact Elizabeth Fite ([email protected]) or follow her on Twitter (@ecfite).