Although many seem to have forgotten it, we are still in a COVID-19 pandemic, and although vaccines have mitigated the deadly consequences of the coronavirus, public health experts anticipate a resurgence in infections this winter, as in flu cases. With this in mind, there is one factor that can put people at greater risk: obesity.
The Carolinas are among the states with the greatest problems of people who are overweight and obese, which is extremely worrying, as numerous medical reports indicate that the effects of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 or the flu are more severe (even deadly) in obese people and that vaccines will be less effective.
According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 7 in 10 adults age 20 and older in the United States are overweight or obese.
According to a ranking done each year by the company WalletHub, in 2022 South Carolina was ranked as the tenth most obese state in the nation, which is a truly alarming figure.
For its part, in North Carolina we went from thr 22th place (in 2020) to 15th place in 2022 on the list of the most obese states. Nearly one in three (31.7%) Latino adults in the state suffer from obesity.
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A big problem
This is not an issue about appearance; it is a public health emergency. Obese people are at high risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19, according to the CDC.
A study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that obese adults are twice as likely to develop influenza or a similar disease such as coronavirus, even if they have been vaccinated.
Being overweight is associated with various heart conditions, as well as diabetes, hypertension, and other problems that will ultimately cost not only a lot of money, but also pain for the sufferer and that person’s family. The United States spends nearly $200 billion on obesity-related health care costs each year.
In 1995, the percentage of the population with hypertension in North Carolina was 18.9%. Now this figure has risen to 35.1%. Moreover, rates of diabetes have doubled. In 1995, the percentage of people with diabetes in North Carolina was 5.3%. Now it is 11.8%, according to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the organization Trust for America’s Health.
Following African Americans, Latinos are the population that suffers the most from being overweight. In many cases, being overweight or obese is preventable, as it largely depends on the habits that are taught at home. According to a recent Harvard Medical School study, 57% of children in the United States who are overweight will be obese by the time they turn 35 years old.
One hand on the heart and one on the waist
Faced with this worrying reality, we must take a hard look at ourselves and recognize those habits that are affecting our health and our family’s health, and we must make the choice to make changes.
Children don’t follow words; they follow examples. If you really care about your family’s health, change yourself first. Minimize your consumption of carbonated drinks, sugary desserts, red meat, and fried foods. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Get off the couch and go out with your family to the park, enjoy walks, and go on bike rides.
A new, healthier lifestyle is a powerful tool for avoiding illness. The health of your family and your community is in your hands.