Young obese adults with underlying medical conditions such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes are currently at a higher risk of losing their lives or being placed on a ventilator due to coronavirus. This deadly virus is badly affecting the lives of morbidly obese young adults, according to data from 3000 hospitalised COVID-19 patients aged between 18 and 34.
Morbid obese people, with a BMI of 40 and above, were almost accounting to 41% of young obese people who were on ventilation or died. This all combined with high blood pressure, which accounted for nearly 31% of ventilated and dead patients; on the other hand, diabetes represented 27% of the deceased and intubated patients.
During this pandemic, dozens of studies have been conducted and reported that most of the COVID-19 cases were people suffering from obesity. Generally, overweight and obese people develop other diseases like lung, heart and diabetes that are independent risk factors for severe COVID-19. Young obese people are also prone to metabolic disorders in which fat, blood sugar levels go severely high.
Obesity and COVID-19 is a deadly combination
It’s nothing wrong to say, when obesity meets coronavirus, it can cause death! Obesity causes obstructed breathing, making it more difficult for a patient to clear pneumonia and other respiratory problems that are linked with COVID-19. The fat present in your body is biologically active and is a source of pro-inflammatory chemicals, which promote a state of chronic inflammation in your body even before coronavirus sets in.
After looking at the deaths caused by the combination of coronavirus and obesity in young adults, this pandemic has made one thing clear— Obesity is more of a SOCIETAL responsibility than a PERSONAL one. There is an alarming need to create food systems and environments that aid in healthy eating and make the healthiest food options readily available, accessible and affordable.
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