Pandemic Preparedness: Maintaining Adequate Immune Fitness by Attaining a Normal, Healthy Body Weight
kiani, pantea; Mulder, Kiki; Balikji, Jessica; Kraneveld, Aletta; garssen, johan; Verster, Joris
(2022) Journal of Clinical Medicine, volume 11, issue 14
(Article)
Abstract
In addition to developing effective medicines and vaccines, pandemic preparedness also comprises general health-related, behavioral, and psychological aspects related to being more resis-tant in the case of future pandemics. In the context of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, recent research revealed that reduced perceived immune fitness was the best predictor
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of report-ing more frequent and more severe COVID-19 symptoms. Up until now (June 2022), during the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of patients who have been hospitalized were characterized as being overweight. It is therefore essential to further evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and immune fitness. This was performed by analyzing pooled data from previously pub-lished studies, conducted among N = 8586 Dutch adults. It was hypothesized that attaining a normal, healthy body weight is associated with optimal perceived immune fitness. The analysis revealed that a deviation from normal weight (i.e., having a BMI outside the range of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2) was associated with significantly reduced perceived immune fitness, as assessed with the immune status questionnaire and a single item perceived immune fitness scale. The effects were significant for both underweight and overweight groups and most pronounced for the obese groups. The results suggest that attaining a normal, healthy body weight might significantly contribute to maintaining adequate perceived immune fitness. Therefore, attaining a normal body weight might be an essential compo-nent of pandemic preparedness and should be supported by creating awareness and promoting the importance of regular exercise and the consumption of healthy food.
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Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, age, body mass index, bodyweight, height, immune fitness, pandemic preparedness, sex, General Medicine
ISSN: 2077-0383
Publisher: MDPI AG
Note: Funding Information: Conflicts of Interest: Over the past three years, J.C.V. has acted as a consultant/advisor for KNMP, Mentis, Red Bull, Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical, and Toast! A.D.K. has held research grants from H2020, Nutricia-Danone, Netherlands Center of Translational Research, Lung Fund, SGF/Health Holland, and NWO. J.G. is a part-time employee of Nutricia Research and received research grants from Nutricia research foundation, Top Institute Pharma, Top Institute Food and Nutrition, GSK, STW, NWO, Friesland Campina, CCC, Raak-Pro, and EU. The other authors have no potential conflict of interest to disclose. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
(Peer reviewed)