Obese People More Likely To Develop Severe Covid-19 Complications: Study

A new study has found that Covid-19 patients who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop a more severe infection than patients of healthy weight, and they require oxygen and invasive mechanical ventilation more often

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Nov, 2021 ) :A new study has found that Covid-19 patients who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop a more severe infection than patients of healthy weight, and they require oxygen and invasive mechanical ventilation more often.

The findings of the study were published in the journal 'Diabetes Care'.

While obese people are at a higher risk of developing a more serious infection, there is no increased risk of death, Medical Daily reported .

The study, led by Australian researchers, examined over 7,000 patients from eleven different countries who were admitted to 18 hospitals. Of this group, over a third (34.8 per cent) were overweight and almost a third (30.8 per cent) were obese. Covid-19 patients with obesity required oxygen more frequently and were 73 per cent more likely to require invasive mechanical ventilation.

Remarkably, no greater mortality was observed in these groups of patients than in patients of healthy weight.

Immunologist Siroon Bekkering of Radboud university medical center, principal investigator of the Dutch part, explained that never before so many different data on obesity have been combined in one large study. One explanation for this is that overweight and obesity are characterized by chronic inflammation, which can perhaps lead to increased susceptibility to viruses. This is also the case with the flu virus. Also, obese people are more likely to suffer from shortness of breath, which may lead to an increased need for ventilation.