Since we began battling the pandemic, scientists and doctors have focused on understanding the leading causes of COVID-19 and how people become infected. According to studies conducted by the CDC (the Center for Disease Control), the risk of infection has been higher among those with dangerously large waistlines. Obesity cases in children and adults peaked during coronavirus because of a sudden change in lifestyle and stress levels. While plenty of reasons are attributable, one cannot ignore the issue of overeating triggered by the stress around the whole situation at that time and the new work-from-home culture. However, the recent studies highlighting the initial six months saw such cases mostly in low-income households.
In children and adolescents in the USA, obesity rates have been rising rapidly for many years. Researchers recently published the first cohort study that examined more than 4,500 participants in the age group of 2-17 years from Ohio’s primary care networks to assess the impact of coronavirus on weight gain in lower-income groups. The studies indicate that full lockdowns may have contributed to this problem by restricting physical activity.
However, childhood obesity is a big concern. People who are obese think differently about themselves. Overweight kids often face the slight of coming across as less intelligent and unattractive by peers. It also affects how they think about themselves. Then, more severe health consequences like diabetes, for example, can be unavoidable. The risk is greater with minority groups that don’t have comparable equity in obesity care.
Studies also show that about one out of five youngsters reported a minimum of 5kg weight gain, and 4% experienced nearly 10kg. On average, there was 6kg of weight gain noticed among these people. Likewise, those who weighed less than the regular mark became a candidate for the healthy weight group, gaining more than 2kg on average.
Obesity and COVID-19 severity
Health leaders informed that the risk of death, hospitalization, or severe illness by COVID infection becomes three times high in people with increased body mass index (BMI). The reason for this is that obesity causes inflammation. It, in turn, causes excess production of proinflammatory proteins and affects the number of white blood cells. With this, lung capacity gets compromised. All this weakens immunity, and if someone gets the viral infection, they experience an immune system overdrive, making them vulnerable to illness or fatality.
Protection against COVID
According to a survey by MyBioSource, only about 3% (a minuscule number of people) believe that COVID is a severe issue in the USA. While it is true that there have been fewer hospital admissions and less extreme conditions among the infected group, no one can take the virus lightly. You cannot predict how it will transform, which remains elusive to scientists and doctors. Hence, even if things are getting back to normalcy, you must not take a chance with your health.
The best chance against this ongoing COVID fight is to follow safety measures as recommended by the CDC. These include masking, getting vaccines and boosters, maintaining hygiene, keeping indoor air clean, etc. If you are obese and have contracted the infection, you would want to approach your physician for the proper treatment to minimize the danger of severe illness, death, etc.
The treatment for obesity
Some may even wonder when they should speak to their doctors if they face the issue of obesity and understand the looming risk of COVID on their health. In that case, you don’t have to wait for consultation. Find a certified doctor who offers weight management treatment, including guidance around lifestyle and weight loss solutions. At a personal level, you can also make efforts, no matter how small they are. For example, don’t skip three meals and munch on healthy snacks when hunger pangs strike you. Some falsely believe that dieting can be good for their health, but skipping food can only make you eat more down the road.
According to Dr. Navratil, including a protein shake in the breakfast can be a small but significant step. You also need to exercise regularly and sleep well. At the same time, maintaining your stress levels is crucial because it can lead to overeating. A disciplined and cumulative approach in this area can help you with your weight management. Sometimes, a patient may have to resort to surgical solutions for weight reduction. It is more relevant for chronic cases. These options usually consist of gastric balloon, gastric banding, biliopancreatic diversion, sleeve gastrectomy, among others.
Regardless of how someone gained weight, either due to stress, more alcohol consumption, inaccessibility to timely medical attention, or a sedentary lifestyle, the fact is your health is in your hand. Earlier, obesity was one significant health risk by itself, but the emergence of the pandemic virus has made it even more concerning. So, it is better to take the necessary steps, whether you fear infection or not. After all, a healthy weight is also good for your overall confidence.