Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
Since pandemic Starting off, a number of studies have mentioned that people with obesity more prone to Covid-19.
One of the largest is the metanalysis published in journals Obesity Reviews last August. Researchers collected data from a number of studies of 399 thousand Covid-19 patients.
As a result, obese people are 113 percent more likely to contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus than those with normal weight. In addition, obese Covid-19 patients were also 74 percent more likely to undergo intensive care in the ICU, with the mortality rate reaching 48 percent.
It is not without reason that obese people are more susceptible to Covid-19. Obesity leads to several serious medical conditions such as immune disorders, chronic inflammation, and blood clots. All of which can make Covid-19 worse.
Obese people are more likely to have comorbid diseases than other people of normal weight. As is known, comorbid diseases are a major factor that can worsen Covid-19, such as heart problems, lung disease, and high blood pressure.
The United States Center for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) defines overweight as a BMI of 25-29.9 kg / m2. While obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 kg / m2 or more.
Quoting Science, the physical pathology that makes obese people susceptible to Covid-19 appears through several mechanisms.
The first is through the presence of belly fat. Fat in the stomach can push and cause the diaphragm muscle to hit the lungs, limiting air flow. This in turn causes the airways to collapse in the lower lobes of the lungs.
Second, the above conditions are exacerbated by another problem, namely blood clots that often occur in obese people. These conditions can pose a serious risk during infection by developing blood clots.
Third, immunity is also weakened in obese people. Part of this is due to fat cells infiltrating the organs where immune cells are produced and stored.
“People with obesity lose their immune tissue. It makes the immune system less effective at protecting the body,” says nutritionist Catherin Andersen.
A metanalysis published in Obesity Reviews it has also shown that immune T cells – the mainstay of the body – do not function well in obesity. Studies have also found that the flu vaccine doesn’t work well in obese people.
As a result, obese people remain at risk of being infected with the virus.
Fourth, obese people also suffer from chronic inflammation. Fat cells secrete several inflammation-inducing chemicals called cytokine hormones. As a result, cytokine activity becomes increasingly uncontrolled. This condition is a feature of severe inflammation and can cause tissue damage.
For these various reasons, people with obesity are advised to be more careful in order to keep themselves safe from infection. People with obesity are also advised to exercise regularly to avoid the severity of Covid-19.
(asr)
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