A new CDC study found that a majority of teenagers hospitalized for COVID-19 are severely obese.
As reported by the Daily Caller, among a sample of 915 patients between the ages of 12 and 17 from six hospitals, 61.4 percent were obese, the study found. Sixty and 5/10 percent had “severe obesity,” meaning a body mass index above 40.
According to the CDC, in the general population, about 9 percent of adults have severe obesity.
“Compared with patients without obesity, those with obesity required higher levels and longer duration of care,” the researchers wrote. “These findings are consistent with previous reports and highlight the importance of obesity and other medical conditions as risk factors for severe COVID-19 in children and adolescents.”
Rather than encouraging Americans to lose weight to fight the pandemic, public health officials have instead encouraged mask mandates, social distancing and staying home.
