Dieticians of Canada (DC) has “Advice for the general public about COVID-19.
“Updated May 5, 2020 – The advice below is reviewed and updated regularly since it’s original publication on March 24. DC is keeping a close watch on new and emerging information. […]
“What can I do to support my immune system?
“A healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables, protein foods and whole grains is important for a strong immune system as are other healthy lifestyle habits (e.g exercise, not smoking, adequate sleep, managing stress etc). […]
“It is easier on the supply chain if people gradually build up their household stores instead of making large-scale purchases all at once. To do this, you can add a few extra items to your grocery cart every time you shop. Good options are easy-to-prepare foods like:
- dried pasta and canned sauce
- prepared canned soups
- canned or frozen vegetables
- canned beans (like chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils).”
They also recommend people follow the Canada Food Guide, of course.
Here’s some “new and emerging information,” from Obesity Canada:
“Cardiac, respiratory and metabolic diseases (such as diabetes and hypertension) are more common among patients with obesity. These have been identified as risk factors for more severe disease or death from COVID-19. It is critical that people living with obesity, and especially people with a BMI over 40, take all possible precautions to avoid infection.”
The Globe and Mail says, two days ago: “Obesity may be a risk factor for COVID-19, researchers find. Fat cells may promote inflammation or make it more difficult for infected patients to breathe.”
“Carrying extra fat “stresses the body and makes it harder to do stuff. But we’re learning the fat itself is biochemically active,” said David Kass, a professor of cardiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
“Dr. Kass explained the kind of fat that forms in your abdomen produces signalling molecules called cytokines that promote inflammation, part of the body’s immune response. The effect, he said, is like having an intrinsic cellular war constantly going on in the background. An infection of the new coronavirus is like dropping a bomb on top of it all, he said. […]
“Dr. Kass said part of the issue may be mechanical. Having more fat mass in your abdomen can make it harder to move your diaphragm, thus making it harder to breathe. Another potential explanation is that fat cells may act like a depot or reservoir for the new coronavirus, which is known to bind to protein targets called ACE2, he added. These proteins are highly expressed, or deposited, on fat cells, he said.”
Three days ago, the BBC resported: “Is there evidence obesity is a risk for the virus?
“This question has been the subject of many studies as experts try to work out the answer.
- In a study of nearly 17,000 hospital patients with Covid-19 in the UK, those who were obese – with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 – had a 33% greater risk of dying than those who were not obese.
- A separate study of NHS electronic health records found a doubling of the risk of dying from Covid-19 among people who were obese. If other health conditions linked to obesity such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes were also taken into account the risk would be even higher, the researchers said.
- And a study of critically ill patients in UK intensive care units found that nearly 34.5% were overweight, 31.5% were obese and 7% morbidly obese (a total of 73%), compared to 26% with a healthy BMI.”
But go ahead and stock up on “healthy whole grains” (like Hershey’s Kisses cereal with whole grain corn?) and pasta.
References
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52561757
https://www.dietitians.ca/News/2020/Advice-for-the-general-public-about-COVID-19
and http://obesitycanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Obesity-and-COVID-19-FINAL-april-2.pdf
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