The role of adiposity, body mass index, aging and chronic comorbidities on the progression of COVID-19 illness. Is a ‘long COVID’ syndrome inevitable? (original) (raw)

2022, International journal of family & community medicine

Age associated overweight and obese conditions now approach epidemic proportions in Westernized society, often beginning in childhood and extending throughout the lifespan. Excess adiposity is often linked to increased visceral fat deposition where it is associated with increases in the relative risks for developing severe complications of covid-19. Thus, excess adiposity, along with NIDDM, hypertension, respiratory, disordered bioenergetics and other comorbidities, may be added to a growing list of significant independent risk factors in the progression of complications in covid-19 illness in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, and which may lead to the development of a syndrome of 'long covid' in a sizable proportion of those infected. In addition to excess adiposity, non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM), hypertension, disordered bioenergetics, along with other commonly occurring age-related comorbidities contribute to a lengthy list of significant risk factors that often progress to complications in the development and treatment options for covid-19 illness. These complications may occur in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and may lead to the development of a syndrome of 'long covid' in a sizable proportion of infected individuals. International Journal of Family & Community Medicine Mini Review Open Access The role of adiposity, body mass index, aging and chronic comorbidities on the progression of COVID-19 illness. Is a 'long COVID' syndrome inevitable? 100