Obesity, Hypovitaminosis D, and COVID-19: the Bermuda Triangle in Public Health.
Irene KarampelaNatalia G VallianouFaidon MagkosCaroline M ApovianMaria DalamagaPublished in: Current obesity reports (2022)
Epidemiologic data have shown that obesity is an independent risk factor for COVID-19, severe disease and death, and genetic evidence has suggested a causal association between obesity-related traits and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. Additionally, obesity is independently associated with hypovitaminosis D, which is highly prevalent in subjects with obesity. Hypovitaminosis D is independently associated with a higher risk for COVID-19, severity, hospitalization, infectious complications, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and poor outcomes. However, genome-wide association studies have not revealed any causal association between vitamin D levels and the risk for COVID-19, while there is no robust evidence for a beneficial role of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. In the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the epidemiologic impact of obesity and hypovitaminosis D is emphasized. Efforts to increase public awareness and reinforce preventive and therapeutic measures against obesity and hypovitaminosis D are strongly required.
Keyphrases
- coronavirus disease
- insulin resistance
- sars cov
- metabolic syndrome
- weight loss
- type diabetes
- high fat diet induced
- weight gain
- public health
- acute respiratory distress syndrome
- healthcare
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- gene expression
- skeletal muscle
- emergency department
- artificial intelligence
- mechanical ventilation
- big data
- deep learning
- machine learning
- combination therapy
- adverse drug