The swine flu is a health risk that is relatively harmless unless you fall into certain categories. It is well known that young children and the elderly are vulnerable to the swine flu. Did you know, however, that obesity and the swine flu are also linked?
How are Obesity and the Swine Flu Linked?
Obese people are at risk for health complications because they are nutrition deficit and vitamin deficit. The swine flu kills through an inflammatory process. Obesity is a high inflammation condition. The extra fat cells release chemicals that put the body in a state of chronic inflammation. This weakens the immune system, therefore leaving people who are carrying extra weight vulnerable to the swine flu. Furthermore, it constricts airways that make it harder to breathe. It is actually the complications from the swine flu that are causing serious health problems and even death among overweight people.
Complications for Obese People with the Swine Flu
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's weekly report, severely obese people are at high risk for complications from the swine flu. Problematic symptoms have included blood clots, the use of ventilators to breath and kidney failure.
A Michigan hospital reported that nine of the 10 swine flu patients were obese and seven out of the 10 were severely obese. Of these patients, three died and others suffered serious complications. While obesity isn't the known cause for swine flu, it appears to worsen the effect of swine flu. Symptoms of the swine flu become more serious in overweight patients.
High Risk Factors for the Swine Flu
Obesity isn't a cited risk factor for the swine flu, but it poses some complications that puts people at risk. When the following conditions coexist with obesity they can present serious health risks, including death, if the person contracts the swine flu.
- Chronic lung disease
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Neurological disease
- Diabetes
- Asthma
A link between obesity and the swine flu is being considered not only because of the number of obese people in the recent outburst of the flu, but also because being overweight appears to worsen the symptoms and complications of the swine flu. An obese person with chronic lung disease or asthma, for example, normally has trouble breathing. Add the symptoms of the swine flu and the patient has a hard time breathing without the help of a ventilator. Though the link between obesity and the swine flu isn't cause for alarm, it is something to be aware of.
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