CDC study finds about 78% of people hospitalized for Covid were overweight or obese

[hsmamato2]

I think the OP and this article in general is brought to light here because it's an easy way to create an "other" category for who dies from Covid. (example- if overweight/obese die from this,then I'm safe type of thinking) Easy to fall into this trap, not so easy to think your way out of it. Easy to say things (online of course) like "lose weight folks and you'll be safer,like me" or "of course they're giving a donut to vaxed people"... (insert laughter here) Well, folks, we tend to try to create this "other" category in our own minds because then we're distanced from what is actually happening,and the fact that while this is obviously based on flawed stats (outdated,wrong BMI chart) the reality is this virus is getting to us all,in every category,regardless of whether you go get a free donut or not.
Some might assume based on my post that I'm in one category or another, but you'd likely be wrong about that
As a person who eats an extremely healthy diet,and exercises regularly (I've been accused of being 'crunchy') I know for sure that all I can do is take precautions,and try to do my best to stay well....other than that? It's kind of random,who gets this really bad,and who doesn't. (and btw, I won't go get that free donut,b/c I don't eat them) and articles like this mean nothing to the family of an affected person,whether they're over 55 (old!) or not as thin as they 'should be' (the horror of that much loved family member who is slightly larger than an olympic athlete).
I'm particularly fascinated by the 'diet police' I'm seeing here.....
Just my 2 cents on this article.

 

[DLgal]

I think the OP and this article in general is brought to light here because it's an easy way to create an "other" category for who dies from Covid. (example- if overweight/obese die from this,then I'm safe type of thinking) Easy to fall into this trap, not so easy to think your way out of it. Easy to say things (online of course) like "lose weight folks and you'll be safer,like me" or "of course they're giving a donut to vaxed people"... (insert laughter here) Well, folks, we tend to try to create this "other" category in our own minds because then we're distanced from what is actually happening,and the fact that while this is obviously based on flawed stats (outdated,wrong BMI chart) the reality is this virus is getting to us all,in every category,regardless of whether you go get a free donut or not.
Some might assume based on my post that I'm in one category or another, but you'd likely be wrong about that
As a person who eats an extremely healthy diet,and exercises regularly (I've been accused of being 'crunchy') I know for sure that all I can do is take precautions,and try to do my best to stay well....other than that? It's kind of random,who gets this really bad,and who doesn't. (and btw, I won't go get that free donut,b/c I don't eat them) and articles like this mean nothing to the family of an affected person,whether they're over 55 (old!) or not as thin as they 'should be' (the horror of that much loved family member who is slightly larger than an olympic athlete).
I'm particularly fascinated by the 'diet police' I'm seeing here.....
Just my 2 cents on this article.

You are exactly right. This virus gets people who have INFLAMMATION. Sure, obese people have more inflammation, but you know who else does? Athletes. People who "were in perfect shape" have died from this virus. Most pediatric deaths outside of kids who were medically fragile were....athletes. Two of our city's deaths were high school athletes. One was a cross country runner. The other a football player. Neither had any other medical issues and neither was overweight. Being an athlete, like a marathon runner is associated with high levels of inflammation, especially in the blood vessels. These are the runners who collapse and die in the middle of a marathon. "But he was healthy," they say. Outside appearance is no indicator of what's going on at the cellular level.

We are ALL susceptible to this virus. Some more than others, but no one is immune (yet) and it's like playing Russian roulette.

People like to look at their own lives and think they are safe because of X, Y, or Z. At the end of the day, there is no guarantee how anyone will fare with this virus, which is what makes it so scary. We learn a bit more every week, it seems. So, the best any of us can do is just try to AVOID getting sick as best we can until we are at a point with vaccines where we can stop worrying so much.

 

[DLgal]

Two points (in italics) for BMI in the US: 1. there is no calculating with muscle weighing more than fat. BMI is simply weight and height, so if you weigh more (muscle) your BMI would be HIGHER, not lower. 2. doctors don't make a subjective determination and note it in your chart. You are listed as "overweight" or "obese" in your medical record solely based on the BMI number. It's calculated by the computer and goes in automatically regardless of what the doctor thinks.

So, you are right here. However, I suspect that other poster (in Germany) is talking about "getting taped" once a BMI measurement comes back high in a person who doesn't look "fat." This is what the military does (at least the Marines).

Twice a year, my husband has to do a weigh in. There is an upper ceiling for his "allowable" weight, based on height. For him, since he is short (5'4"), it is 165. That is considered "overweight" by BMI, but since Marines are expected to have a certain amount of muscle mass, he gets taped, and they take measurements to better determine his body fat percentage. Taping always uncovers that he is within range for a healthy body fat percentage.

This is what that other poster is talking about. But this NEVER happens at regular doctor's offices or hospitals here. If my husband went into the hospital right now, at his current weight, he would be listed as obese. He tends to trim down right before the weigh ins, but lives at around 175lbs normally.

It is an absolutely flawed metric to rely on.

 

[KingAugie]

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html
Note: At an individual level, BMI can be used as a screening tool but is not diagnostic of the body fatness or the health of an individual. A trained healthcare provider should perform appropriate health assessments in order to evaluate an individual’s health status and risks. If you have questions about your BMI, talk with your health care provider.


So did the CDC study actually take the "note" into account in it's findings or not.

 

[ksanftleben]

I suspect that other poster (in Germany) is talking about "getting taped" once a BMI measurement comes back high in a person who doesn't look "fat." This is what the military does (at least the Marines).

Twice a year, my husband has to do a weigh in. There is an upper ceiling for his "allowable" weight, based on height. For him, since he is short (5'4"), it is 165. That is considered "overweight" by BMI, but since Marines are expected to have a certain amount of muscle mass, he gets taped, and they take measurements to better determine his body fat percentage. Taping always uncovers that he is within range for a healthy body fat percentage.

That was my experience in the Army as well. Weigh-ins were regularly ineffective at determining body fat percentage, and tape tests, caliper measurements, or hydrostatic testing almost always overruled them. There are many ways to calculate a more accurate BMI than the CDC calculator. If the CDC study only used its own height/weight calculator, that study is flawed and needs to be verified by other tests using more accurate methods of measurement. Besides, a study like this one is only correlational, and correlational studies prove nothing about cause and effect.

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