Research conducted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) has indicated that deaths due to Covid-19 are 10 times higher in countries where above 50% of its adult populations are obese. Another alarming figure that has been reported says that over 90% of the deaths due to the coronavirus, worldwide, were of obese persons.
According to WOF, more than 70 million Americans are obese. Some experts say that thousands of lives may have been saved if the population was slimmer and there may have been lower risks of hospitalizations as well.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set alarm bells ringing for the West as it cautions the populations in these countries to take heed of these findings. A majority of the adults who have sedentary jobs and have a high intake of processed foods are at high risk for developing obesity.
The WOF report compared obesity rates with Covid-19 death tolls. The results were a death knell for countries where over half or more of population was obese as their death rate was 10 times higher than countries whose populations were not obese.
The report said that 2.2 million of the 2.5 million deaths around the world took place in countries that had a huge number of obese persons.
The report said that being obese was the second largest predicator of hospitalizations. It also said that obese persons had a greater risk of fatally succumbing to their coronavirus infection.
Obesity is a condition that decreases general health as well as compromises the immune system in individuals. The coronavirus finds it easier to spread in their weak bodies, as they are unable to naturally resist the virus.
The virus also preys on weakened or damaged tissues making it harder for the body to fight this minuscule but mighty predator. Obese people often have other co-morbidities including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases and lung diseases. These conditions also weaken their bodies making it easier for the virus to spread faster and this leads to hospitalizations and sometimes to fatalities.
The only other higher risk factor for contacting the coronavirus when compared with obesity is old age.
