People categorized as obese are at greater risk of dying for the Swine Flu according to recent research
The Swine Flu is already dangerous enough for small children and those with compromised immune systems, but new findings show those that are extremely obese are also at a risk of dying from the swine flu.
Those that are considered extremely obese are people with a body mass index of 40 or higher.
Researchers revealed this information in the Clinical Infectious Diseases. They reported that extremely obese people have a significant higher chance of dying than other people. According to the article the authors wrote, half of all the patients that were hospitalized in 2009, in California, that were at least 20 years old, were obese.
They were analyzing data from 534 patients. Since over half of the patients were obese, they wanted to see if there was any significant difference in the way they responded to the H1N1 flu.
The results were revealing. 72% had flu related, high risk conditions, while 43% of them were at least 50 years old. There were 51% that had a BMI of over 30 and 61% of those with a BMI over 30 (obese) died, 30% that a BMI over 40 (extremely obese) also died.
Researchers gathered from this information that anyone in the obese or extremely obese categories need to get medical attention quickly when diagnosed with the flu.
