Background: Obesity may affect an individual's immune response and subsequent risk of infection, such as a SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is less clear whether overweight and long-term obesity also constitute risk factors. We investigated the association between the degree and duration of overweight and obesity and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Methods: We analyzed data from nine prospective population-based cohorts of the Netherlands Cohorts Consortium, with a total of 99,570 participants, following a standardized procedure. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were assessed two times before the pandemic, with approximately 5 years between measurements. SARS-CoV-2 infection was defined by self-report as a positive PCR or rapid-antigen test or as COVID-19 ascertained by a physician between March 2020 and January 2023. For three cohorts, information on SARS-CoV-2 infection by serology was available. Results were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses and adjusted for age, sex, educational level, and number of SARS-CoV-2 infection measurements.
Results: Individuals with overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.08, 95%-confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.13) or obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) (OR = 1.43, 95%-CI 1.18-1.75) were more likely to report SARS-CoV-2 infection than individuals with a healthy body weight. We observed comparable ORs for abdominal overweight (men: 94 cm≤WC < 102 cm, women: 80 cm≤WC < 88 cm) (OR = 1.09, 95%-CI 1.04-1.14, I2 = 0%) and abdominal obesity (men: WC ≥ 102 cm, women: WC ≥ 88 cm) (OR = 1.24, 95%-CI 0.999-1.55, I2 = 57%). Individuals with obesity long before the pandemic, but with a healthy body weight or overweight just before the pandemic, were not at increased risk.
Conclusion: Overweight and obesity were associated with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection with stronger associations for obesity. Individuals with a healthier weight prior to the pandemic but previous obesity did not have an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that weight loss in those with obesity reduces infection risk. These results underline the importance of obesity prevention and weight management for public health.
Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the association between body shape index (ABSI) and arterial stiffness in healthy subjects using data from the EVasCu study. In addition, a meta-analysis was performed to compare the association between ABSI and central, peripheral and systemic arterial stiffness in the general population.
Methods: The EVasCu study included 390 healthy subjects. ABSI was calculated from waist circumference, body mass index and height, and arterial stiffness was assessed with aortic pulse wave velocity (a-PWv) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). A meta-analysis of previous studies, including data from the EVasCu study, was performed to obtain pooled estimates of correlation coefficients (r) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between ABSI and central, peripheral and systemic arterial stiffness. In addition, pooled OR estimates and their 95% CIs were calculated.
Results: In the EVasCu study, the correlation coefficient estimate was 0.458 (p < 0.01) for the association of a-PWv and ABSI and 0.408 (p < 0.01) for the association of CAVI and ABSI. In the meta-analysis, the pooled correlation coefficient estimate was 0.22 (95% CIs: 0.16, 0.28) for central arterial stiffness and ABSI, 0.21 (95% CIs: 0.14, 0.28) for peripheral arterial stiffness and ABSI, and 0.28 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.3) for systemic arterial stiffness and ABSI. When pooled ORs were calculated, the pooled OR estimate was 2.12 (95% CIs: 1.68, 2.56) for central arterial stiffness and ABSI, 2.21 (95% CIs: 1.81, 2.60) for peripheral arterial stiffness and ABSI, and 2.99 (95% CIs: 2.14, 3.85) for systemic arterial stiffness and ABSI.
Conclusion: Based on both the results obtained in the EVasCu study and the meta-analysis, there is a positive association between ABSI and arterial stiffness, both in healthy subjects and in participants with comorbidities. For each unit of cm/kg/m²/m increase in ABSI, the risk of arterial stiffness increased by 112% for central arterial stiffness, 121% for peripheral arterial stiffness, and 199% for systemic arterial stiffness. However, further research is needed in this field of knowledge.
Body weight gain is a prevalent adverse effect observed in psychiatric medication therapy. With the notable increase in mental health diagnoses among children and adolescents over the last decade, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of medications associated with weight gain poses an additional risk for obesity development. This study aimed to identify psychiatric drugs that may induce weight gain in children as a side effect. Twenty-nine publications were included in this systematic review, investigating the effects of nineteen different drugs on children's weight. The majority of these drugs belonged to atypical antipsychotics and anticonvulsants. Nearly all included articles reported that the examined substances resulted in weight gain in children. As childhood obesity has become a significant problem with various metabolic, psychological and social consequences, it is crucial to carefully consider therapy options. In addition to evaluating effectiveness, it is important to also assess the potential for weight gain. Clinicians and nutrition specialists should individually evaluate patients' nutritional needs, evaluate obesity risk, and provide appropriate dietary guidance to minimalize the risk of weight gain.