Obesity is a key factor in the severity of a diagnosis of COVID-19, according to a new study released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC found that of the 148,494 adults in 238 hospitals who were diagnosed with COVID-19, nearly 51% were obese and nearly 28% were overweight.
Overweight is defined as having a body mass index of 25 or more, while obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or more.
Just over 42% of the U.S. population was considered obese in 2018, according to the latest CDC data.
Being overweight and / or obese were risk factors for invasive mechanical ventilation and obesity was a risk factor for hospitalization and death, especially among adults under 65, according to the CDC.
The CDC study found that the risk of hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths were lower among people with a BMI under 25 years of age. As BMIs rose, the risk of serious illness “increased sharply,” especially among people 65 and older, according to the agency.
The CDC recommended that, as physicians develop care plans for patients with COVID-19, they should consider the risk of serious outcomes in patients with higher BMI, especially for those with severe obesity.
The agency said the findings highlight the “clinical and public health implications” of higher BMIs, including the promotion of COVID-19 prevention strategies, such as continued prioritization and masking of vaccines. ” and policies to ensure community access to nutritional and physical activities that promote and support a healthy BMI. “
The CDC stated that promoting a healthy BMI could be especially important for populations disproportionately affected by obesity, especially for Hispanic or Latino and non-Hispanic black adults, as well as for people in low-income households. who are also more likely to have worse COVID results. 19 compared to other populations.