We know that obesity is a risk factor for severe forms of Covid-19. Having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 exposes you to more severe complications after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
According to a new study carried out by the Cleveland Clinic (in the United States), a “significant” weight loss would therefore allow patients suffering from obesity to reduce their risk of developing a severe form of Covid-19.
To reach this conclusion, the American researchers studied medical data concerning 20,212 patients suffering from obesity; among them, 5053 patients benefited from bariatric surgery between 2004 and 2017.
Obesity: a lower risk of hospitalization after bariatric surgery
First info: since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, 9.1% of patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and 8.7% of patients who have not been operated on have caught the disease.
The researchers also observed that patients who underwent bariatric surgery had a lower risk of approximately 49% of being hospitalized because of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus; they also had a lower risk (by 63%) of needing oxygen therapy or developing severe symptoms of Covid-19 (by 60%).
“This work suggests that weight loss may improve the course of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection in obese patients“conclude the scientists, who published their work in the specialized journal JAMA Surgery.
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