Researchers at the University of Amsterdam have established a clear link between being overweight and the increased likelihood of dying from COVID-19.
Scientists at the University’s Amsterdam Economics Institute examined the link between people’s lifestyles and excess mortality during the pandemic.
They said the link was “overwhelmingly obvious” with 70 to 100 per cent of excess mortality during the first two years of the pandemic occurring among overweight people.
Head researcher, Wouter Vermeulen said that during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, 30,000 more people died in the Netherlands than was expected from historical mortality figures.
“We examined the link between these excess deaths and lifestyle factors like obesity, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, level of exercise and loneliness,” Dr Vermeulen said.
“Overweight was the only lifestyle factor that is related to high excess mortality within all sub-groups. Being overweight is, therefore, much more decisive than all other factors when it comes to your risk of dying from COVID-19.”
He said between 57 and 84 per cent of the excess mortality was among people who were overweight and smoked or had smoked in the past. That came down to 17,000 to 25,000 of the 30,000 excess deaths.
“The figures are remarkable because these lifestyle factors affect 30 per cent of the population. The share of this group in excess mortality is, therefore, more than twice as large as their share in the population,” Dr Vermeulen said.
He said the difference was much smaller for other lifestyle factors.
The results have not surprised the medical profession with doctors already noticing that certain groups within society were over-represented in Intensive Care Units during the pandemic.
The Institute did the study at the request of the Tweede Kamer, the Lower House of the Dutch Parliament. Policy-makers wanted to have insight into vulnerable groups in society so that lifestyle factors could be considered during vaccinations in future pandemics.
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