Obesity and COVID-19 Are We Looking for Simple or Sophisticated Causes?

Abstract

High mortality from COVID-19 is in the group of patients suffering from malnutrition. People with severe diseases such as tumors, patients with heart failure, kidney failure, liver and other organ damage are at risk. COVID-19 was a particular problem for older people, and a resistance to social distancing and sheltering [1]. However, people with obesity and people with obesity and diabetes mellitus are also at risk. In the May issue of the prestigious Lancet magazine, the authors Kass DA, et al. [2] bring irrefutable data obtained by monitoring a large number of patients [2]. It has been shown that the unfavorable course of the disease surprisingly affected “good-looking” young people, young obese patients. How are the possible causes? Obesity can restrict ventilation by impeding diaphragm excursion [2], impairs immune responses to viral infection [3], is pro-inflammatory, and induces diabetes and oxidant stress to adversely affect cardiovascular function [4]. Data were obtained using univariate and multivariate linear regression models. The pharmacotherapy can solve problem of oxidative stress or pro-inflammatory factors. There will certainly be effective medicines in the future. Today, they are still tested for efficacy, safety and other clinical trials. We are not talking now about drugs that act directly on the virus (so-called antivirals). Many of them have already shown an excellent effect [5]. But back to obesity. It has also been found to be dangerous in view of the current viral infection. Is it possible to improve the condition without the help of drugs?