Tackling Global Health Issues: The Significance of Obesity During this Pandemic
By Dr. Tran Tien Chanh June 11, 2020
The global medical community has never been more vocal than during this pandemic caused by COVID-19.
The opinions on this new virus’s origin, the gravity of its impact, its potential consequences, and the best courses of action to face this unprecedented crisis sometimes diverge. However, everyone agrees on the importance and implications of comorbidity factors in relation to this condition.
Obesity, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory issues, diabetes, dyslipidemia and chronic inflammation are all accepted as key risk factors. Age was recognized early on as the main factor, but in reality the abovementioned conditions simply tend to be more prevalent within the older population.
You too have certainly understood that these pre-existing comorbidities are not directly linked, or specific to, COVID-19.
Global attention is focused on fighting this new pandemic right now, but this should not play down the dangers of the obesity epidemic. Quite the contrary; obesity and its consequences are among the main comorbidity factors that can worsen the impact of COVID-19 and put people at risk.
Obesity (and its direct consequences) is now one of the leading causes of preventable mortality in modern society. Obesity, which itself has become a real epidemic, is linked to another terrible scourge called metabolic syndrome.
As you know, metabolic syndrome is a collection of many health issues such as:
• Central obesity or visceral fat
• Cardiovascular issues: hypertension, cardiac rhythm disorders
• High cholesterol and high triglyceride levels
• Hyperinsulinemia coupled with insulin resistance, type II diabetes
• And many others
Modern medicine, despite its phenomenal breakthroughs, does not provide real curative treatment for those issues.
What is a curative treatment? A curative treatment is a treatment that is designed to cure.
Drugs used to treat many of these issues do help to improve quality of life and may delay the onset of more serious conditions, sometimes increasing life expectancy as a result. BUT- they are not a cure.
All physicians regardless of their field of expertise, agree that weight loss is essential to treat these issues effectively. In other words, fighting obesity and excess weight also helps prevent or limit the dramatic consequences of numerous diseases and conditions, including but not limited to viral and bacterial infections.
This brings us back to what we have been doing and advocating from day one at Ideal Protein. Yet, it is during difficult times like these that we realize how important and meaningful our role in the community truly is.
You may also like this article:
A Low-Carb Strategy for Fighting the Pandemic’s Toll
