Study finds corona severe among young obese men

Obesity may increase risk of dying from Covid-19 especially in younger men, a new study has revealed.

The study, published on August 14 in Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests that high Body Mass Index (BMI) was strongly associated with Covid-19 mortality in younger adults and male patients, but not in female patients and older adults.

“In summary, we found obesity was strongly associated with risk for death among our study population of patients with Covid-19. Male and younger patients with high BMI seemed to be at particularly high risk,” the study reads.

Health records for more than 6,900 patients treated for Covid-19 in the Kaiser Permanete Southern California Health care system from February to May 2020 were studied to determine the association between obesity and death from Covid-19.

The study scope was based on patients of Covid-19. It reported patients with the highest weight were found to be four times more likely to die within 21 days of being diagnosed than those with the normal weight.

Men and those younger than 60 years, who had a high body weight, were at at high risk of death.

The Ministry of Health, however, has not listed obesity as a risk factor for Covid-19 in Kenya, but its association with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiac conditions and chronic lung or renal disease, which themselves are risk factors for poor outcomes in Covid-19, is well described.

After weeks of recording more than 500 new Covid-19 infections per day, the ministry yesterday announced 271 cases. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the number was detected from 3,746 samples in the last 24 hours.

This raises the country’s positive infections to 30,120. Kagwe said 686 more patients were cleared after recovering from the virus, including 626 who were on home-based care. At least 60 were admitted to various hospitals.

The study suggests a significant pathophysiologic link between excess or morbid overweight to severe Covid-19 illness.