Unfortunately, we have learned that Covid is a disease that mainly affects older people. These are in fact included in the list of categories of people most at risk. These also include all those people with previous pathologies. Such as, for example, hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
Generally, however, we do not think of those people with a very widespread disease, considered “silent”. It is a disease that in some countries affects 50% of the population. As the Veronesi Foundation states, Covid is more dangerous for this category of people. They often face a much longer and more severe convalescence. The death rate also increases dramatically if this disease is already present. Let’s find out what is this other category of people at greater risk of contracting Covid and having serious complications.
Covid is more dangerous for this category of people
Several studies now suggest a close link between the risks of Covid and a particular physical state of patients. One of the first was the one published by researchers from the University of Bologna in the European Journal of Endocrinology. Here it is stated that those who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop severe forms of Covid 19, including death.
This is not new. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, put those with a BMI above 40 in risk categories. This value corresponds to obesity that is considered serious. The study from the University of Bologna, however, suggests a threshold of 30, that is, mild obesity. From then on, the risks for Covid increase. This includes respiratory complications, ICU admission and death.
There is also an evident fact to support this hypothesis. In countries where one in two people is obese, the death rate is 10 times higher than the average. This fact alone is not enough, but that of Bologna was followed by several other studies and advice from experts. Thanks to these we have a rather probable idea of what may be the causes of a correlation between obesity and severe forms of Covid. Perhaps this state weakens the immune response to the virus. Perhaps it impairs lung functions right from the start. Obesity more likely favors the presence of chronic inflammation. This is why the immune response is so weak in the face of the virus.
It follows that losing a few pounds is not just an aesthetic factor. Not to mention that this is only the least of the problems caused by obesity and overweight. In fact, few know that this is the most important factor in preventing breast and colon cancer.