New study shows overweight and obesity associated with severe COVID-19 complications

Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to <30 kg / m2 are classified as overweight, and patients with BMI >> >> 30 kg / m2 is considered obese.¹ In addition, BMI >> >> 40 kg / m2 is classified as severe obesity.¹ Health conditions associated with obesity include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

According to the CDC, obesity and severe obesity are also conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 at all ages, based on evidence from recent studies.^2,3

CDC research

A recent CDC study used data from the Premier Healthcare Database Special COVID-19 Release, a hospital database, to use data from BMI and serious COVID-19 such as hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU), and step-down unit admission. We evaluated the association of the results with risk. , Invasive mechanical ventilation, and death.^Four Of the 148,494 adults aged 18 and over who were diagnosed with COVID-19 during admission to the emergency department or 238 US hospitals between March 2020 and December 2020, 28.3% were overweight, 50.8. % Was obese.^Four

Overweight and obesity were risk factors for invasive ventilation, and obesity was a risk factor for hospitalization and death, especially in adults under the age of 65.^Four The risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, and death was lowest in patients with BMI of 24.2 kg / m2, 25.9 kg / m2, and 23.7 kg / m2, respectively, and increased dramatically with higher BMI.^Four

This study further emphasizes and builds on previous evidence that obesity is associated with an increased incidence of hospitalization and mortality with COVID-19. The limits of the study include that only patients whose height and weight were reported were evaluated and risk was evaluated only among inpatients. This may differ from the assessment of all COVID-19 patients.^Four

Impact on public health

According to a recent report from the World Obesity Federation, COVID-19 mortality rates are higher in countries where more than 50% of the population is classified as overweight compared to countries where the prevalence of overweight is less than 50%. It is 10 times higher.^Five Healthcare providers can play an important role in the prevention and management of obese patients, including education on lifestyle changes, including healthy eating and regular physical activity. Patients with obesity and severe obesity also need to prioritize the COVID-19 vaccine nationwide.

As of February 16, 2021, at least 29 states included obesity as one of the high-risk conditions for Phase 1c of vaccine deployment, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation.⁶ Clinicians should continue to educate patients about the importance of masking, social distance, and hand washing as an additional COVID-19 prevention strategy.

References

• CDC. Definition of overweight and obesity. The final review was March 3, 2021. Access is March 13, 2021.https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html
• CDC. A person with a specific medical condition. Updated February 22, 2021. Accessed on March 13, 2021.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html
• O’Hearn M, Liu J, Cudhea F, Michael R, Mozaffarian D. Coronavirus disease 2019 admission due to cardiac metabolic status in the United States: Comparative risk assessment analysis.J Am Heart Asssoc.2021; 10 (5): e019259. Doi: 10.1161 / JAHA.120.019259.
• Kompaniyets L, Goodman AB, Belay B, other body mass index and COVID-19 related hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, invasive ventilation, and risk of death — US, March-December 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021; 70: 355–361. two: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7010e4..
• World Obesity Federation. COVID-19 and obesity: 2021 Atlas. Accessed on March 13, 2021.https://www.worldobesityday.org/assets/downloads/COVID-19-and-Obesity-The-2021-Atlas.pdf
• Kates J, Dawson L, Tolbert J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The next stage of vaccine distribution: high-risk medical conditions. Published February 16, 2021. Accessed on March 13, 2021.https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/the-next-phase-of-vaccine-distribution-high-risk-medical-conditions/