How Obesity Could Create Problems for a COVID vaccine

We should all by now understand the inherent problems that come from having an unhealthy BMI - especially a BMI so high that it falls into the 'obese' category (that is 30 worldwide apart from China which has lowered it to 28.)

However this year, COVID-19 has made it all the more dangerous to be obese.

Epidemiologists in China analysing data from the earlier wave of the outbreak noticed an emerging pattern - a high BMI was always positively associated with the severity of COVID-19.

In Mexico's intensive care units, the doctors warn that the one clear feature that stands out among the patients is that obesity is the most important factor they see in relation to COVID-19.

There are a multitude of reasons for this - too many to go into in this short article. There is now optimism that a vaccine will arrive soon to dampen the pandemic, some researchers fear that the vaccine may not work as well in obese people - same as the vaccines for a handful of other conditions.

- Obesity correlates with a dulled immune system response to COVID-19.Obesity can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation, which means obese people may have higher levels of a variety of immune-regulating proteins, including cytokines. The immune responses unleashed by cykotines can damage healthy tissue in some severe cases of COVID-19, which in turn can weaken some immune responses.

- SARS-CoV-2 infections linger about 5 days longer in people who are obese than those who are lean, which implies that these people have trouble clearing the infection as they have trouble mounting normal viral defences.

- The study of vaccines against influenza, Hep B and Rabies have shown reduced responses in those who are obese compared with those who are lean.

- Researchers believe that due to increased production of leptin (which correlates with body fat and mass) and fat, the obese population has a more difficult time gaining vaccine - induced antibody protection.

So what does this mean for the new vaccines?? For now, it is too early to tell but it may be as simple as giving obese patients more than one dose of the vaccine to increase effectiveness, or formulate a special vaccine for obese and other at-risk populations which will need to have additional immune response stimulators called adjuvants added.

FOR NOW - the most important thing for me is to help people who are obese or have a high BMI to bring down their levels of fat, especially visceral fat. With gyms reopening here next week and an abundance of home exercise products available at varying prices, there really is no excuse not to get started. It is now a case of not just exercising to get fit or stay healthy, but to STAY ALIVE.

I have a BRAND NEW way of keeping on top of your Nutrition and Exercise from your home or the gym in my Phoenix Fitness App! Get in touch for details on how to sign up on Apple and Android!

Do it for yourself and do it today!!

Sources: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-obesity-could-hinder-effectiveness-of-covid19-vaccine#What-does-this-mean-for-a-COVID-19-vaccine?

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02946-6