Maintaining a healthy body weight and raising levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol may help reduce the risk of Covid-19 infections, say the researchers in a new study.
Previous studies have shown that people with type 2 diabetes and high body mass index are at increased risk of hospitalization and other serious complications related to Covid-19.
However, the new research from the University of Maryland, in the United States, identified certain lifestyle factors, such as body weight and cholesterol, as new risk factors for Covid-19.
“Our findings point to some healthy measures that people can take to help decrease the risk of Covid-19 infection,” said Charles Hong, professor of medicine at the University’s School of Medicine.
“Body weight control is very important during this period, and measures to increase HDL levels, such as regular exercise and a diet rich in monounsaturated fats, like extra virgin olive oil and avocado, can also be helpful,” noted Hong .
The team found that people with positive Covid were more likely to be obese or have type 2 diabetes. They were also at a higher risk of getting symptomatic infection in the first place, the researchers said.
On the other hand, those with a negative test were more likely to have high levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and to be at a healthy weight with a normal body mass index (BMI), revealed the study published in the journal PLoS ONE.
“Certain basic cardiometabolic factors appear to protect a person from Covid-19 infection, while others make the person more vulnerable to infection,” said Hong.
“But this study was not designed to determine what factors actually cause Covid-19 infections. These are statistical associations that point to the importance of a healthy immune system to protect against Covid-19 infection,” added Hong.
For the study, the team used UK Biobank data from 5.00,000 British volunteers over 40 years old. Health factors were compared between those who tested positive for Covid-19 and those who tested negative.
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