Team Metabolic Health
Scientists suggest that losing weight, particularly around the waist, can reduce the risk of severe flu and infections in individuals with diabetes, adding to the overall health benefits of weight loss, according to the study published in the journal Diabetologia.
The study from Rhian Hopkins and Ethan de Villiers from the University of Exeter in the UK found evidence to suggest that a higher body mass index (BMI) is a cause of severe infections.
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Hyperglycemia is a leading cause of diabetic complications, accounting for over 1 million hospitalizations annually. In contrast, there was no evidence that mild hyperglycemia contributes to the likelihood of a severe infection.
“Up to one in three hospitalizations in people with diabetes are for infections and people with diabetes are twice as likely to be hospitalized with infections than the general population. They are also at high risk of readmission,” said Hopkins.
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However, these studies have been observational and so haven’t been able to prove that the links are causal.
The team used data from the UK Biobank to explore the effect of higher BMI and poor blood sugar control on hospitalization for bacterial and viral infections.
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A higher BMI was found to be associated with hospitalization with infections. The likelihood of being hospitalized with a bacterial infection increased by 30 percent per 5-point increase in BMI.
Similarly, every five-point increase in BMI was associated with a 32 percent increase in the likelihood of a severe viral infection. This suggested that a higher BMI is one of the causes of severe bacterial and viral infections.
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However, mild hyperglycemia did not appear to be a cause of severe infections. Infections are a major cause of death and ill health, particularly in people with diabetes.
According to researchers, anyone admitted to a hospital with a severe infection is also at high risk of being admitted again with another. While this message may be particularly relevant to people with diabetes, it applies more widely, too, they added.
Credit. www.medindia.net