COVID-19 Kills More Obese Men Under Age 60 Than Women, Reveals Study

With COVID-19 taking over our world, claiming so many lives, most of us are trying to learn as much as we can to stay safe from the novel coronavirus. We already know that people who are immunocompromised or people with other medical conditions are more susceptible to contracting the novel coronavirus.

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However, now research has revealed that COVID-19 kills more men younger than the age of 60 than women, and the reason behind this is obesity.

This is according to a study conducted by researchers at Kaiser Permanente Southern California Health System. Here they looked through nearly 7,000 cases of the novel coronavirus to look at the impact of obesity on COVID-19. After eliminating all other ailments and conditions, researchers discovered that obesity as a single medical condition is more dangerous for men under the age of 60 years.

The study stated that extremely obese men -- men with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 40 or more were three times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people of average weight. On the other hand, people with BMI of 45 were four times more likely to die of COVID-19.

Researchers said in the study, ¡°We present findings that can inform decisions much earlier in the triage process, including in the ambulatory setting. Our finding that severe obesity, particularly among younger patients, eclipses the mortality risk posed by other obesity-related conditions, such as the history of myocardial infarction, diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia, suggests a significant pathophysiologic link between excess adiposity and severe COVID-19 illness.¡±

This was further explained by John Hopkins University cardiologist Dr David A. Kass, in an editorial where he stated, ¡°The risks are higher in younger patients is probably not because obesity is particularly damaging in this age group; it is more likely that other serious comorbidities that evolve later in life take over as dominant risk factors.¡±

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He further explained that the main reason for this is due to the way the fat builds up around the abdomen, ¡°It requires more muscle force to displace the diaphragm downward when a substantial fat mass lies below it. Abdominal obesity also makes it more difficult to breathe in a prone position that is favoured to improve ventilation in patients with COVID-19.¡±

So in case you¡¯ve got some weight to shed, this would be the perfect reason to dust off your running shoes and take a walk in the park.