Want to cut your risk of severe Covid-19 infection (including hospitalization and death)? Then it's time to get real about getting your body to a healthy weight. While the virus has mutated and many recommendations about what to do to "stay safe" have shifted since the beginning of the pandemic, one connection has remained steadfast. Obesity and impaired metabolic health are strongly associated with increased levels of severe Covid-19. This connection is present independent of other factors and comorbidities. 

Let's be clear. Obesity is a health issue - It is not a personal failing. It is a non-communicable disease that is the leading cause of type II diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and kidney disease. Although its roots generally stem from the consumption of a Western, high-fat diet, treating it requires different strategies for different people. For any of these strategies to work long-term, a multifaceted approach with consistent support is needed.

Since the 1990's, obesity has become the #1 non-communicable public health concern of our time. As of the most current worldwide study, the US is tied for the highest prevalence of obesity in the world at 35%. Even in places with lower rates of obesity like England and Scotland, obesity now outranks smoking as a contributing factor to death for those 45 and older. There are 800 million people worldwide living with obesity, and this number is only growing as childhood obesity is predicted to increase by 60% in the coming decade, reaching 250 million by 2030.

The Covid-19 pandemic has only added to the challenges of maintaining a healthy weight for many, making solving this crisis even more difficult. The lockdown situations at the beginning of the pandemic led to skyrocketing rates of depression, anxiety, and added difficulty for those already trying to lose weight. These situations also led to weight gain for a significant portion of the population and a worsening of blood sugar control for those with type II diabetes.

While lockdown situations did promote some positive food behaviors like cooking at home and enjoying family meals, people were also stress-eating and exercising less. This, coupled with decreased affordability and ongoing food insecurity concerns, meant that the pandemic has led many toward cheap, processed, high-calorie food choices. Simply put, the pandemic has worsened the obesity epidemic - and this is creating disastrous conditions as there is also a clear connection between poor metabolic health and severe Covid-19 outcomes.

Of the more than 900,000 hospitalizations that occurred up to November 18, 2020, 30% were attributable to obesity, 26% to hypertension, 21% to diabetes, and 12% to heart failure. Since that time, the connection between obesity and severe Covid-19 outcomes has only increased. This is especially true for those under 65 and the link between the two becomes stronger as BMI increases.

It's important to note that although obesity is a leading cause of the other top three risk factors, obesity itself - without the presence of other conditions - is the leading contributor to severe Covid-19 infection. This means that simply being overweight sharply increases your chances of poor outcomes with an infection. Although only ~25% of all patients infected with Covid-19 have comorbidities, 60-90% of hospitalized patients with the virus have comorbidities.

Studies from across the globe continue to show an increased risk of more critical Covid-19 infections among patients with obesity. This data also shows that the overwhelming majority (87.4%) of those who are overweight deal with lasting effects of the infection after recovery. These include chronic fatigue, depression, and PTSD.

And while we're not here to debate Covid-19 vaccination, it is also important to note that there is clear evidence that simply getting the shot is not a replacement for weight loss and improving metabolic health. As has been shown with the influenza vaccine, the Covid-19 vaccine may not work as well over time for people with obesity and impaired metabolic health. This lower immune system response to viral vaccines is especially true for those with diabetes and even non-diabetes with high A1C levels.

So, it's not just you. Many others around you are experiencing the same roadblocks, setbacks, struggles, and frustrations with maintaining a healthy weight at a time where we feel we are barely holding on to everything. This can make the prospect of losing weight seem impossible and hopeless.

You probably feel this way even more so because business owners have been especially burdened by the effects of the pandemic. Supply chain issues, shut downs, personnel issues, and cost increases have continually routed all the usual playbooks you use to keep your business running smoothly. The yearly ebbs and flows of business that you've been accustomed to have massively shifted, and there simply is no routine to fall back on. 

You're constantly left guessing what to do - for your family, your business, your employees, your vendors, your customers. There has really been little time to consider and care for yourself... in years. It has been nearly two years.

There needs to be a moment, RIGHT NOW, where you truly pause and consider that would happen to all of your people and your business - that entity that relies on you - if you were no longer around. The worlds of so many would change dramatically.

If you are the glue... If you are holding everything together... Then you can't afford not to care for yourself first. 

Caring for yourself isn't taking time away from other prioroties. As a business owner, you understand that to make money, you need to spend money. 

Investing in your own health is sparing minutes to gain years. To buy time, you need to make time, NOW.

It's time to get started.