Tuesday, April 14, 2020

So much for that "Healthy at any size!" nonsense, eh?

The biggest risk factor for Kung Flu hospitalization is being obese.

For months, scientists have been poring over data about cases and deaths to understand why it is that COVID-19 manifests itself in different ways around the world, with certain factors such as the age of the population repeatedly popping up as among the most significant determinants. 
Now, one of the largest studies conducted of COVID-19 infection in the United States has found that obesity of patients was the single biggest factor in whether those with COVID-19 had to be admitted to a hospital. 

I can think of a few reasons why this might be the case.  Obese people are at higher risk for diabetes, which was one of the huge factors in death from the Kung Flu in New Orleans.  Also, being obese leads to various other diseases that affect the cardio-pulmonary system, and this virus hits your lungs hard.  If you have any condition that makes it harder to breathe or for your heart to pump, it's going to make this virus nail you even harder.

I guess the bottom line is that you need to not be fat.  But that's been common knowledge for decades now. 

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