آخرون
دراسة تشير إلى أن السمنة مرتبطة بزيادة خطر الإصابة بالأمراض المعدية بنسبة 70%
آخرون
دراسة تشير إلى أن السمنة مرتبطة بزيادة خطر الإصابة بالأمراض المعدية بنسبة 70%
Individuals with obesity are 70% more likely to experience severe infectious diseases, and obesity may be linked to one in ten infectious disease-related deaths worldwide, according to a new study. This research highlights the critical link between metabolic health and the body’s ability to fight off infection.
The study, published in the journal The Lancet, found that people living with obesity face a significantly increased risk of hospitalization or death from infectious illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, and gastroenteritis.
Researchers analyzed data from over 67,000 adults in Finland and more than 470,000 adults in the UK Biobank to examine the relationship between obesity and severe infectious diseases. Participants’ body mass index (BMI) was measured at the start of the study, and they were categorized into three groups: healthy weight, overweight, and obesity.
Those with obesity were further classified into Class I, Class II, or Class III. Participants were followed for an average of 13 to 14 years.
The findings revealed that individuals with obesity had a 70% higher risk of hospitalization or death due to any infectious disease compared to those with a healthy weight – defined as a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. The risk increased steadily with increasing body weight, with individuals with severe obesity being three times more likely to experience adverse outcomes than those with a healthy weight.
“With global obesity rates expected to rise, so too will the number of hospitalizations and deaths from obesity-related infectious diseases,” said study author Solveig Nübert of the University of Helsinki.
According to Mika Kivimäki, lead author of the study at University College London, “Our finding that obesity is a risk factor for a wide range of infectious diseases suggests that broad biological mechanisms may be involved.” He added that obesity may weaken the immune system’s ability to defend against bacteria, viruses, or fungi, potentially leading to more severe illness.
The study also estimated that 9 to 11% of infection-related deaths worldwide could be prevented by eliminating obesity. The burden varies significantly by country, with 25.7% of infection deaths in the United States linked to obesity – the highest proportion. Spain reported 21.2%, the United Kingdom 17.4%, and Germany 14.7%. India and China had the lowest burden, at 9% and 3.8% respectively.
Researchers noted that the study, being observational, cannot prove a direct causal link between the variables. They also acknowledged that the analysis, relying on BMI, did not fully account for other factors such as fat distribution or metabolic dysfunction.
The findings underscore the urgent need for policies supporting healthy lifestyles and weight loss, including access to affordable, healthy food and opportunities for physical activity, researchers said.
Obesity rates are rising across Europe. European Union data indicates that approximately 17% of European adults are obese and 51% are overweight a situation the World Health Organization has described as an “obesity epidemic.” The WHO in Europe aimed to halt the increase in adult obesity rates at 2010 levels by 2025, but no European country has achieved this goal, with rates increasing by 138% since 1975.
