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Welcome to the fourth weekly digest of stories about COVID-19, obesity and related challenges from across the globe.

We will be compiling stories from credible sources representing all regions of the world, including academic articles, position statements and mainstream news, amongst others. 

If you have signed up to our newsletter, we will be sending this digest to your inbox every Monday during the current pandemic. If you have any stories from your country or discipline, please send through to us at eneeds@worldobesity.org.

News 

• • The largest prospective UK study to date on #COVID19 & severity of disease demonstrates obesity to be a key risk factor for higher mortality.
• • This study examined severe disease and BMI among 357 patients in France. People diagnosed with severe COVID-19 were 1.35 times more likely to also have obesity and people in critical care with COVID-19 were 1.89 times more likely to have obesity than the general public in France. This study adjusted for age and gender of patients but no other cofounding factors.
• • A market study in France showed that people under strict lockdown were more likely to purchase food from local sellers, although this was common before the outbreak. There is also demand for food that boosts the immune system.
• • A recent study in Australia found that supermarket ready-to-eat-meals generally should have been classified as “unhealthy,” but still received a passing grade from the Health Star ranking system. Consumers are advised to check ingredients on all ready-to-eat-meals. As more people are buying these products due to COVID-19, it is important that they understand the health risks.
• • A recent New York Study of 257 Covid-19 patients with critical illness found that elderly people requiring ventilation had only a 20% survival rate. This could affect clinical practice going forward. The study also observed that 71% of patients under 50 years old hospitalized with COVID-19 were living with obesity.
• • Diabetes is linked to severe disease and death from COVID-19, as Type I diabetics are 3.5 times more likely to die and Type II are 2 times more likely to die of the disease based on a study awaiting peer review. Elderly diabetics are at much greater risk than those under 40, as are those from minority groups, suffering from heart or kidney disease, or with history of a stroke.

Opinion

• • Recent decisions not to limit exports will have a beneficial impact on countries which rely upon imports. However, distribution of food will continue to be an issue. Many developing countries, including South Africa, are also keeping demand for food high by providing financial support, but developing countries without these resources will likely struggle with food insecurity.  
• • This article looks at US counties with high rates of chronic disease, which may be more heavily impacted by future waves of coronavirus. It identifies NCDs, obesity rates, low-income communities, and communities of color as particularly vulnerable, suggesting experts provide resources to these places.
• • India is undergoing epidemiological transition- before the pandemic, noncommunicable disease was overtaking communicable disease as a cause of death. Rates of metabolic syndrome are high, especially among younger (40-60 years old) patients. Patients with metabolic syndrome are more likely to develop severe disease if the catch COVID-19.
• • Inflammation disrupts the immune system, possibly explaining why people with chronic diseases like overweight and obesity are at higher risk of severe disease from COVID-19. High prevalence of noncommunicable disease in the UK could explain why they have experienced more deaths than other European countries.
• • High rates of chronic disease in the USA indicate that more than 37-45% of Americans are at high risk of severe disease from coronavirus. The authors believe the public does not fully understand just how serious this pandemic can be.