
COVID-19 and Obesity: Reducing Risk with Healthy Habits
The COVID-19 crisis has revealed the vulnerability of certain populations, including people living with obesity, to emerging public health crises.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, “flattening the curve” has become the driving imperative for governments, public health officials, hospitals, health care workers, and citizens across the globe. Amid warnings from an official at the World Health Organization that the United States
Obesity increases COVID-19 risk. Are Americans more vulnerable?
More research is needed into the impact of COVID-19 on specific populations, such as patients with obesity. However, the emergence of H1N1 in 2009 offers some insight into what we might expect. During that pandemic, patients with obesity experienced
The continued spread of COVID-19 should raise flags of concern for health care professionals and citizens alike.
How can patients with obesity reduce their COVID-19 risk? Adopt healthy habits.
The CDC’s guidelines are an excellent starting point for reducing COVID-19 risk during a global health crisis. However, the sheer volume of comorbidities and complications associated with obesity make the adoption of broad lifestyle changes within this vulnerable population both necessary and potentially life-saving during a widespread pandemic. After all, healthy lifestyle habits are associated with a significant decrease of mortality, regardless of BMI, but
Key healthy habits that can help fortify patients with obesity against COVID-19 include:
â Proper nutrition: Like other states of malnutrition, obesity causes inflammation, called adiposopathy, that
â Physical activity: Patients with obesity are often advised to “eat less and move more” to lose weight. Our understanding of obesity treatments is much more nuanced than this bit of conventional wisdom, but there is no denying the influence of physical activity on overall health and well-being - just
â Stress management: We now understand that
Certainly, starting a new healthy habit is different than sticking to one. And research suggests that it can take
What can health care professionals do? Access obesity medicine resources.
We all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the dedicated health care professionals on the frontlines of this devastating pandemic. Health care professionals who are not currently stationed in hospitals or emergency departments may be wondering how they can help during a time of great uncertainty. Pursuing advanced knowledge of obesity medicine can empower health care professionals with tools and resources to better meet the needs of their patients within this vulnerable population.
The
The COVID-19 crisis has revealed the vulnerability of certain populations, including people living with obesity, to emerging public health crises. As we all look to do our part to “flatten the curve,” promoting healthy lifestyle habits alongside the CDC guidelines is an easy, proactive way for clinicians and other health care professionals to reduce coronavirus risk among our patients.
For more obesity medicine resources, visit:
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA, Diplomate, American Board of Obesity Medicine, is the newly-elected President of the Obesity Medicine Association. He is board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics and obesity medicine. Dr. Primack has been named “Top Doctor” by Phoenix Magazine since 2008. He is also the author of the book, “Chasing Diets.”
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