Coronavirus Update: Obese People Found More At Risk By Study; Expert Diet Tips To Manage Obesity

Almost everybody is vulnerable to Coronavirus but people with pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, heart diseases and asthma have been declared more prone by health experts across the globe. Since cardiovascular disease is one of the risk factors, a research was done to probe further its effects on the risk of COVID-19 infection, and a surprising link was found between other underlying CVD risk factors like obesity and high blood pressure.

The study was carried out by researchers at the Queen Mary University of London who used a novel approach called 'Mendelian Randomisation', which leveraged on the individual genetic information to investigate the effects of cardiovascular risk factors on the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Lead author Dr. Nay Aung from the Queen Mary University of London said, "Our results show that individuals with high body mass index (BMI), a marker of obesity, and high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (also known as 'bad' cholesterol) are at an increased risk of getting COVID-19.  Other cardiovascular risk factors (high blood pressure and diabetes) do not appear to elevate the COVID-19 risk."

The results were published in the science journal 'Frontiers in Genetics'.

Obesity has always been a cause of concern as the condition may lead to many serious health problems. The new revelation establishing an association between obesity and increased risk of Coronavirus puts forth the need for dire measures to combat it.

(Also Read: Vitamin D Sufficiency May Help Coronavirus Patients Recover Faster; 6 Foods To Eat)

Here are some diet tips suggested by NDTV Food's consultant nutritionist Rupali Datta to manage obesity:

Reduce Carbs Intake

Eat less of carbs but continue consuming complex carbohydrates from whole grain like bajra, ragi, maize and jowar. Opt for red, black and brown rice over white rice.

Proteins Are Very Important

Add a protein in every major meal. Lentils, rajma, chana, soy, bhatt dal - all are good options.  For meat, go for lean, low-fat cuts ones.

Get All Nutrients

Make sure to get 3 servings of seasonal vegetables and 2 whole fruits per day. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide essential fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Stay Away From Fats

15% of one's total calories come from visible fats present in fatty meat, butter, ghee, cheese, lard, cream. Avoid these and opt for low-fat alternatives. Also limit trans fats from processed foods like cookies and chips.

Stop With Sugar

You can fulfil your minimum calorie requirement from natural sugars in foods like fruits, and nuts like dates. Stop adding refined sugar to your meals, drinks and desserts.

A healthy diet and regular exercising may contribute significantly to your fight against obesity.