Obesity - a surprising possible risk factor for swine flu

July 13, 5:23 AMTampa Travel ExaminerKelly Shannon Kelly

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While obesity has never been a risk factor for seasonal flu, a large percentage of people who have gotten severely sick from the swine flu have been either obese or extremely obese.

While health officials surmised that this might be due to the fact that heavy people tend to have asthma and other conditions that make them more susceptible, a new report highlights 10 Michigan patients who were very sick from swine flu in late May and early June. Three of them died.

Nine of the 10 were either obese or extremely obese. Only three had other health problems. Two of the three that died had no other health conditions.

On Friday, the CDC said the number of confirmed U.S. swine flu cases has grown to over 37,000 with 211 deaths. It is estimated that over 1 million Americans have been infected with the virus so far, most undiagnosed.

Swine flu is the predominant flu type currently circulating. Nine states report widespread cases.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 94,000 confirmed cases have been reported in over 100 countries.

International table of swine flu occurrences 

U.S. table of swine flu occurrences  

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Follow me on Twitter: @kellyskelly.