Obama declares swine flu national emergency: Do extra pounds increase your risk?

October 24, 7:51 PMExtreme Weight Loss ExaminerMark Rubi

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President Obama today declared the Swine Flu a National Emergency: Do extra pounds increase your risk?

The New York Times reports that H1N1, or Swine Flu, is now widespread in 46 states. The Centers for Disease Control reports that more than 1,000 Americans have died from Swine Flu and more than 20,000 have been hospitalized due to the virus. The declaration of a National Emergency is the first step for state and local governments and hospitals to start making plans for handling a surge in cases.

America is currently in the midst of an obesity and overweight epidemic. Current statistics show that around one third of all American adults are now considered to be medically obese, with a Body Mass Index in excess of 30. In addition, another third of American adults are considered to be overweight with a BMI between 25-30.

USA Today reports that obesity is an unknown risk factor but that a high percentage of those that become severely ill from the Swine Flu are categorized as either obese or extremely obese. The CDC says that they believe the correlation is due to the fact that obese people often have other chronic illnesses that make them more susceptible to the virus. However, there is growing concern because many of the heavy people who contract severe cases of Swine Flu have no other known risk factors such as asthma or other lung or cardiovascular conditions.

Although the country is currently suffering from a massive shortage of the new H1N1 vaccine, those under doctor supervision for weight issues should consult on whether the vaccine is right for them. Nutrition News recommends the following tips to help prevent the Swine Flu: Get enough sleep, reduce sugar intake, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Zinc, Vitamin D, probiotics (such as yogurt), and frequent hand washing.

For more info: It's your body. It's your health, It's your life. Treat your body as well as you can and give it the tools to treat you well, too.