British researchers have studied the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality from COVID-19 in different ethnic groups.
- According to a new study published in the journal Nature, ethnic origin could influence the risks of developing a severe form of Covid-19
- The research was carried out on more than 12,000 English people and notes an increased risk in people of South Asian origin
If the link between obesity and the risk of developing a severe form of Covid-19 is proven, it was not yet known exactly to what extent ethnic origins could represent an additional risk factor. To answer this question, English researchers analyzed the files of more than 12 million people. The objective was to study how the body mass index (BMI) can vary according to ethnic origin in the risk of mortality associated with Covid-19.
Black and South Asian individuals more fragile
Posted in Nature, the research covered 11,074,708 white people, 416,542 black people, 621,691 people of South Asian origin as well as 478,196 people belonging to other ethnic groups. According to the researchers’ observations, black and South Asian individuals have an approximately four times increased risk of dying from Covid-19 compared to white people.
“The estimated risk of mortality from Covid-19 for a BMI of 40 kg/m2 in white ethnicities was equivalent to the risk observed for a BMI of 30.1 kg/m2, 27.0 kg/m2 and 32.2 kg/m2 in Black, South Asian and other ethnic minority groups“, explain the authors of the study.
An additional criterion for establishing risk profiles?
The researchers noted no difference in risk between black and other minority ethnic groups compared to white ethnicities when the BMI was normal or low, except for a slightly higher risk among South Asians.
In contrast, the risk became greater among blacks, South Asians, and other minority ethnic groups compared to white ethnicities when BMI was higher. The researchers therefore conclude that ethnic origin, when combined with obesity, could be considered as an additional criterion for identifying patients vulnerable to Covid-19.
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