A study by Surrey and Southampton Universities has recently revealed that people who are overweight or obese and have darker skin tones could be at greater risk of catching Covid-19. The findings may help to explain disproportionate levels of infection among the black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) community. It has also been found that vitamin D levels are crucial to determine the effect of coronavirus within the community.
The research further reveals that while white people have 53% higher Vitamin D levels than people of BAME backgrounds, people of healthy weight have it 25% more than those who are overweight. The term obese is used for people who are generally considered very overweight, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30. According to the NHS, it's a common problem in the UK that's estimated to affect around 1 in every 4 adults and around 1 in every 5 children aged 10 to 11. Being overweight or obese can weaken the body’s immune system which could make people more likely to catch coronavirus and makes it harder for the body to fight the bug. The NHS has previously said people with a BMI of 40 or above have a greater risk of developing complications if they catch the coronavirus.
There have been more than 261,000 coronavirus cases in the UK, with almost 37,000 deaths. 34% of confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 32% of deaths in intensive care are from the BAME community, according to statistics from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This compares with 14.5% of the total population who are of BAME origin (based on ONS 2016 population estimates).
According to the British Heart Foundation, a new analysis of Covid-19 deaths from the ONS found that men of Bangladeshi or Pakistani background were 1.8 times more likely to die than white men, while women were 1.6 times more likely to die than white women. People of other ethnic backgrounds, including Indians were also more likely to die than white people. The reasons could be many.
The number of healthcare workers who have died due to Covid-19 has reached 200, and more than six in 10 of the victims were from BAME backgrounds, according to a Guardian count. The newspaper analysis looking at staff in hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes and other settings found that 122 of the dead, or 61% of the total, were from an ethnic minority background. Of those staff whose backgrounds could be identified, Asian workers accounted for 34% of the overall death toll, black staff 24% and white workers 36%, while the rest were unknown.
A Government Spokesperson told Asian Voice exclusively, “It is our priority to protect frontline staff and ensure they have the appropriate equipment to feel safe. We’re aware that this virus sadly appears to have a disproportionate effect on people from BAME backgrounds.
“It is critical we find out which groups are most at risk so we can take the right steps to protect them and minimise their risk. We have commissioned PHE to better understand the different factors, such as ethnicity, that may influence the effects of the virus.
Obesity and coronavirus deaths
Retired shopkeeper Ali Kiraz Ozel, from Southend-on-Sea, led an active life but was overweight.
Before the coronavirus outbreak he was still running around with his grandchildren. He was 66 and hadn't been sent a letter telling him to shield but he had been taking extra precautions because he had diabetes.
But his family were shocked to hear his obesity could explain why he died after he fell ill with Covid-19, ITV news reported.
According to reports one of the biggest risk factors leading to hospitalisation for those with coronavirus is obesity. The Sun reported that figures released on May 14 showed that one quarter of all coronavirus fatalities in hospitals in England have been of patients with diabetes, which is often caused by obesity. A survey by NHS found that more than 60% of patients in the ICU with the virus were classified as morbidly obese. In the past, studies have shown overweight and obese people are at greater risk of serious complications or death from infections, like flu. The extra weight creates problems with breathing, clogs up your arteries according to the World Obesity Federation.
According to the ONS, in the 12 months to November 2019, 62.3% of adults (people aged 18 and over) in England were overweight or obese. White British adults were more likely than average to be overweight or obese (63.3%)
73.6% of Black adults were overweight or obese, the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups.
35.3% of adults from the Chinese ethnic group were overweight or obese, the lowest percentage out of all ethnic groups
The percentage of adults who were overweight or obese was lower than the national average in the Asian (56.2%), Other White (58.1%) Other (52.6%) and Mixed (57.0%) ethnic groups.
Dr Sreedhar Krishna, who is a Consultant Dermatologist in Croydon University Hospital, has a MPhil degree in Public Health in University of Cambridge and researched on the effects of physical inactivity on the risk of heart attacks. He has also published on the relationship between obesity and high blood pressure in Gujaratis. Speaking to Asian Voice, Dr Krishna said, “BMI is an index of how much you weigh, divided by how tall you are. It is not a great index of if you are really obese. Rugby players are covered in muscles and according to BMI they could be classified as obese.”
For research BMI is an easily calculable index, that’s what all the data is based on. However there are other ways of characterising this, which is a lot better. But they are not easily available or scalable. Hence the government or any such official sources use BMI as a reliable measurement.
“If you are Asian and obese- you will clearly be at more at risk. But there hasn’t been a national strategy by NHS England as to what to do with very high risk people, and it is left to the individual hospitals to decide.”
Members of minority ethnic groups in the UK often have lower socioeconomic status, which is in turn associated with a greater risk of obesity in women and children.
Stressing on the nature of work and physical inactivity also leading up to these disproportionate deaths, Dr Krishna added, “Physical inactivity increases risk of heart attack and stroke. The nature of your work makes a huge difference. If you are at a desk job and don’t exercise, then you are in serious trouble. The way fat is deposited in Asian person is different from a Caucasian person. Although Asians get a bad reputation, when we look at the national data, we are not more obese than the general population. In fact for Asians it is actually lower.”
Research says waist size is usually a better and easier thing to measure when it comes to excess fat.
“But underlying heart issues is actually more of a risk factor than obesity. Food habits and genetics contribute to that,” he added.
Vitamin D shortage
In the UK we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight exposure from around late March and early April to the end of September. We need vitamin D to help the body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.
“All Asian people should be taking Vitamin D.” said Dr Krishna. “Low Vitamin D is associated with everything from heart disease to suicide risks. Asians with low Vitamin D are at high risk of Coronavirus too. That’s one of the most important factors to look into.
“Poverty and socio economic factors like living in crowded houses also add up to these deficits. Nature of your work – whether NHS, retail or transport, if you are not given PPEs, people from ethnic minorities are less likely to flag it, some of which is cultural- that can lead to risking your health further.
“I feel obesity and Vitamin D deficiency are part of the reasons for these disproportionate deaths. But not the only reasons.”
