People who smoke or who are overweight are more likely to have a worse course of COVID-19. This is evident from a scientific publication of the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Erasmus MC and the Amsterdam UMC. According to the scientists involved, more attention is therefore needed for lifestyle in combating the pandemic. They previously wrote this together with more than 70 doctors, scientists and administrators in an appeal to Minister Hugo de Jonge (Health, Welfare and Sport), who then emphasized the importance of a healthy lifestyle during the COVID press conference on 17 November.
In the Netherlands, more than half of adults are overweight, and 15% are even seriously overweight (obesity). Since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, the vast majority of COVID patients admitted to hospital and Intensive Care units are overweight or obese.
An unhealthy lifestyle is by no means always the cause of obesity. There are many other causes, such as social and medical factors. It’s important not to judge people who are overweight.
More serious course of COVID-19
Obesity leads to a more serious course of COVID-19 in various ways. Including through additional conditions, such as more diabetes, heart, kidney and lung diseases, and more often thrombosis. The more serious course of the disease is mainly due to a chronically less effective immune system. This will most likely give the SARS-CoV-2 virus an extra chance to multiply. In obese people this can cause a significant degree of inflammation and often also thrombosis. In addition, a reduced function of the immune system in general can make a less effective vaccination, as a flu shot is also known to be less effective in obese people. Whether this is also the case with a future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is still unclear.
Strengthen the immune system
Fortunately, a disturbed immune system can be influenced in the short term. In obese people who lose only a few percent in weight (fat mass) through a lifestyle intervention, the immune system starts to work better on several fronts. “Until now, the information from the government has mainly focused on measures to prevent COVID contamination, and those measures are justified. However, it is important that people realize that they can actively improve their resilience to infections such as COVID and their general health.” , explains Prof. Douwe Atsma, cardiologist at the LUMC. “A healthy lifestyle in general (healthy nutrition, sufficient exercise, sleep and relaxation, quitting smoking and moderate alcohol) will strengthen the immune system. This is already known from numerous scientific studies and also applies to people of normal weight. positive message can be conveyed even more. “
Lifestyle and corona
The website www.Leefstijlencorona.nl has been set up to put the recommendations for a better lifestyle into practice. This website is an initiative of the Arts and Lifestyle Association in collaboration with Partnership Obesitas Nederland (PON) and Lifestyle4Health and was set up to draw attention to a public campaign ‘healthy lifestyle in relation to Covid-19’.
Caption photo: Douwe Biesma, chairman of the RVB, signs the appeal to the minister in the presence of Douwe Atsma (l) and Hanno Pijl (r).
1) The impact of obesity and lifestyle on the immune system and susceptibility to infections such as COVID-19. Daan L. de Frel, MD, Prof Douwe E. Atsma, MD PhD, Prof Hanno Pijl, MD PhD, Prof Jaap C. Seidell, PhD, Pieter J.M. Leenen, PhD , Willem A. Dik, PhD, Prof Elisabeth F.C. van Rossum, MD PhD Frontiers in Nutrition, section Nutritional Immunology, gepubliceerd op 19 november 2020.
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