CDC study: half of people hospitalized for COVID were obese

Obesity is a key factor in the severity of a COVID-19 diagnosis, according to a new study released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC found that of the 148,494 adults at 238 hospitals diagnosed with COVID-19, nearly 51% were obese and nearly 28% were overweight.

Overweight is defined as having a body mass index of 25 or more, while obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or more.

Just over 42% of the U.S. population was considered obese in 2018, according to the most recent CDC data.

Overweight and / or obesity were risk factors for invasive mechanical ventilation, and obesity was a risk factor for hospitalization and death, especially in adults under 65, the CDC said.

The CDC study found that the risk of hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and death was lowest in people with a BMI below 25. As BMI increased, the risk of serious illness. “Increased sharply,” especially among people 65 and older, according to the agency.

The CDC recommended that when clinicians develop care plans for patients with COVID-19, they should consider the risk of serious outcomes in patients with a higher BMI, especially in those with severe obesity. .

The agency said the findings highlight the “clinical and public health implications” of a higher BMI, including the promotion of COVID-19 prevention strategies such as continuous prioritization and masking of vaccines , “and policies to ensure community access to nutrition and physical activities that promote and support a healthy BMI.”

The CDC said promoting a healthy BMI could be especially important for populations disproportionately affected by obesity, especially Hispanic or Latin American and non-Hispanic black adults, as well as people living in households. low-income, who are also more likely to have worse outcomes from COVID. 19 compared to other populations.