Called the “invisible enemy” [1], COVID-19 has seemed to take many Americans by surprise. The flu death rate hovers around 0.1%, and the COVID-19 death rate sits higher at 1-3.4% [2]. While this can appear both shocking and scary, one can not help but wonder why the media and government are not all up in arms over cardiovascular disease and cancer. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) makes no attempt to hide the fact that 1 in 4 Americans die every year from heart disease--that’s a 25% death rate [3]. A close second behind heart disease is cancer, whose death rate the CDC places at ~18% [4].
So, statistically speaking, if COVID-19 is not America’s biggest killer, why is society turning upside down with stay-at-home orders, forced business shutdown, and social distancing? The answer is that, while heart disease and cancer kill way more people, those deaths are spread out such that the health care system can handle them; they are not infectious disease that spread at exponential rates. “The faster the [COVID-19] infection curve rises, the quicker the local health care system gets overloaded beyond its capacity to treat people...more and more new patients may be forced to go without beds, and more and more hospitals may run out of the basic supplies they need to respond to the outbreak” [5]. Translation: COVID-19 is putting too much stress on our health care system.
Heart disease and cancer can be curtailed with healthy lifestyle choices as simple as diet, exercise, and not smoking [6]. But what about COVID-19? Can that be avoided with good lifestyle decisions, or is everybody at the mercy of this beast? According to the CDC, besides the elderly, those with heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes are at the highest risk of severity, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 [7]. It should also come as no surprise that those who are obese are at higher risk for COVID-19 [8]. In fact, before the unique COVID-19 strain of corona virus really broke out, a paper was written linking weight to other corona virus deaths [9]. Being overweight is why obese-laden states like Louisiana are being hit harder with COVID-19 deaths when compared to other states [10].
Personal trainer Paul Robinson said it best: “Hand sanitizer, toilet paper and masks are not the answer. To protect yourself against this global killer, take the following steps: avoid smoking, manage your weight (avoid obesity), be more active, emphasize plants and whole grains in your diet, reduce meat. The number one cause of death in America is the American diet. Instead of clearing store shelves of masks, we should be filling our carts with fruits and vegetables. Lifestyle-related deaths will far surpass anything the Coronavirus can dish out (half the population is obese), yet all we talk about is hand sanitizer and toilet paper” [11].
As a nation, we must take responsibility for our own actions. This includes diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices. To give an analogy, picture a married couple who hasn’t been on a date in years, constantly argues, doesn’t go to counseling. When one spouse finally has an affair, it is so easy to blame “the other woman” or “the other man”. However, had the marriage been strengthened over the years, this tragedy may have been avoided. It’s the same with our nation’s health. Had we been making healthy lifestyle choices for years, this COVID-19 wouldn’t have had the disastrous effect on society that it does now. And for all the people who believe their health only effects them, take a look at the economic tragedy, massive job loss, and quarantine-induced depression. How much of that could have been avoided if we were all healthier? Just some food for thought.
The CDC estimates that ~70% of Americans are overweight and ~40% are obese [12]. To determine if you are at a healthy weight, the CDC has a free Body Mass Index calculator www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
References:
1. Kurtz, Howard. “Trump ramps up after dire report, media also getting low marks”. Fox News. 18 March 2020. www.foxnews.com/media/trump-ramps-up-after-dire-report-media-also-getting-low-marks
2. Swenson, Dan. “Coronavirus vs. the flu: A look at key statistics and why that comparison is a no-contest”. Nola News. 29 March 2020. www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_e33c0cf0-7090-11ea-b3da-53f5ab31dd4b.html
3. “Heart Disease Facts”. CDC. 5 April 2020. www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
4. “Cancer”. CDC. 5 April 2020. www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/cancer.htm
5. Specktor, Brandon. “Coronavirus: What is 'flattening the curve,' and will it work?”. Live Science. 16 March 2020. www.livescience.com/coronavirus-flatten-the-curve.html
6. Willett, Walter C et al. “Prevention of Chronic Disease by Means of Diet and Lifestyle Changes”. NCBI. 1 Jan 2006. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11795/
7. “Situation Summary”. CDC. 26 March 2020. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html
8. Morrison, Oliver. “Coronavirus and obesity”. Food Navigator. 24 March 2020. www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2020/03/24/Coronavirus-and-obesity-industry-urged-to-act-post-crisis
9. Moser, Joe-Ann S et al. “Underweight, overweight, and obesity as independent risk factors for hospitalization in adults and children from influenza and other respiratory viruses”. NCBI. 4 Dec 2018. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6304312/
10. Brooks, Brad. “Why is New Orleans' coronavirus death rate twice New York's? Obesity is a factor”. Reuters. 2 April 2020. www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-new-orleans/why-is-new-orleans-coronavirus-death-rate-seven-times-new-yorks-obesity-is-a-factor-idUSKBN21K1B0
11. Robinson, Paul. “Fitness column: Unhealthy diet and lifestyle far surpass Coronavirus risk”. Edmonton Journal. 12 March 2020. https://edmontonjournal.com/health/diet-fitness/fitness-column-unhealthy-diet-and-lifestyle-far-surpass-coronavirus-risk/
12. “Obesity and overweight”. CDC. 1 Jan 2018. www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm
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