The Fatter, the More Vulnerable to COVID-19... "70% of Severe Cases Under 50 Are Obese"

Obesity.
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[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A study has found that about 70% of severe COVID-19 patients under the age of 50 are 'obese' patients.

According to the paper titled "Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors Analysis of Severe COVID-19 Patients Under 50 During the Delta Wave," published in the Journal of the Korean Medical Science (JKMS) on the 2nd, among 142 severe patients under 50 years old, 99 (69.7%) had a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25 kg/㎡ or higher. Generally, a BMI of 25 kg/㎡ or above is considered obese.

The research team conducted the study on 448 severe patients confirmed with COVID-19 at 11 hospitals nationwide from July 1 to November 30 last year. Among them, 142 were young patients under 50 years old.

Among patients under 50, there were 8 deaths; 4 had underlying diseases, and the other 4 did not. Of the 4 patients without underlying diseases, 3 had a BMI of 25 kg/㎡ or higher. Additionally, none of the 8 deceased patients had completed COVID-19 vaccination.

The researchers stated, "Age is a known risk factor for COVID-19, but risk analysis for the younger generation is insufficient," and added, "This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features and mortality risk factors of severe COVID-19 patients under 50 compared to elderly patients in Korea."

They continued, "Severe patients under 50 included in this study had higher BMI and lower prevalence of underlying diseases compared to elderly patients, which appears to be due to age differences," and "The proportion of patients with BMI 25 or higher among severe patients under 50 was 69.7%, more than twice that of the general population, supporting that obesity is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 in young adults."

Furthermore, they emphasized, "None of the deceased patients under 50 had completed full vaccination," and "It is important to note that even young and healthy adults without underlying diseases can become severe patients or die, and more attention should be paid to preventive measures such as vaccination targeting this population."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.