Covid 19 coronavirus: Beer bellies linked to 75 per cent chance of more severe illness
11 May, 2021 01:35 AM
2 minutes to read
In a new study, patients with abdominal obesity had significantly higher X-ray scores for severity of Covid-19 infection. Photo / 123RF
In a new study, patients with abdominal obesity had significantly higher X-ray scores for severity of Covid-19 infection. Photo / 123RF
Daily Telegraph UK
By: Henry Bodkin
Beer bellies are associated with a 75 per cent higher risk of developing serious Covid, a study suggests.
Scientists are calling for Covid patients with pronounced abdominal fat to be closely monitored.
However, the study found that general body fat, as measured by body mass index, appeared not to be linked to worse severity of the virus.
Written by Robby Berman on May 11, 2021 Fact checked by Catherine Carver, MPH
A recent review finds limited evidence in favor of weight loss supplements. GOMBERT, SIGRID/Getty Images
Researchers have recently presented the results of the first global analysis in 19 years of clinical trials for weight loss supplements.
Drawing on two literature reviews, they found insufficient evidence to warrant the recommendation of supplements for weight loss.
The study’s authors drew their conclusions from 121 clinical trials involving nearly 10,000 participants.
According to the
World Health Organization (WHO), obesity worldwide has nearly tripled since 1975. Alongside this trend, there has been an explosion in the sales of lightly regulated, under-researched herbal and dietary weight loss supplements.
Inflammasomes could play an important role in the development of obesity-related colon cancer
New research presented at this year s European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May) finds evidence that structures called inflammasomes (a part of the innate immune system that helps to regulate inflammation) could play an important role in the development of obesity-associated colon cancer.
The study is by Dr Victoria Catalán and Professor Gema Frühbeck, University Hospital Navarra and CIBEROBN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Pamplona, Spain, and colleagues.
Inflammasomes form part of the innate immune system which provides the first line of defense against pathogens using a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological responses.
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New research being presented at The European Congress on Obesity (ECO) held online this year, suggests that a measure of body shape should be used alongside body mass index (BMI) to help determine the risk of obesity-related cancers.
BMI is a simple way of measuring body fat from the weight and height of a person. But its reliability is often criticised, because it does not distinguish fat from muscle, or take into account where body fat is stored or an individual s sex or age. Similarly, waist circumference takes into account belly fat, which is linked to several health risks including cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and cancer, but fails to account for height.
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New research presented at this year s European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May) finds evidence that structures called inflammasomes (a part of the innate immune system that helps to regulate inflammation) could play an important role in the development of obesity-associated colon cancer. The study is by Dr Victoria Catalán and Professor Gema Frühbeck, University Hospital Navarra and CIBEROBN, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Pamplona, Spain, and colleagues.
Inflammasomes form part of the innate immune system which provides the first line of defence against pathogens using a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological responses.
Dysregulation of inflammasomes within visceral adipose tissue (VAT - fat that surrounds the organs) and in the colon can trigger prolonged episodes of inflammation, favouring the development of colon cancer (CC). The aim of this study was to explore whether obesity and CC influence the expression of different inflammasomes and th