COVID-19: fat people have higher risk of complication – expert

Dr Badmus Habeeb, President, Association of Resident Doctors in University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (ARD-UITH), says fat persons who contract COVID-19 have higher risks of complications.

Habeeb told the Newsmen in Ilorin on Friday that fat people were more likely to have other diseases that were independent risk factors for severe COVID-19 than average-weight persons.

He listed such diseases to include heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, among others.

Habeeb said that fat people have baseline respiratory issues that worsen COVID-19 naturally.

“Someone with obesity is already at risk of respiratory compromise and we already know that COVID-19 affects the respiratory system majorly.

“Therefore, predisposing the already compromised system would further jeopardise the person’s health,’’ he said.

The expert said that obesity is also known to coexist with chronic diseases like hypertension and metabolic diseases.

“This group of people copes poorly with COVID-19 infection.

“The biology of obesity includes impaired immunity, chronic inflammation and blood that’s prone to clot, all of which can worsen COVID-19,’’ he said.