High risk flu...?

[Cat]

The Washington Post

 

Survey Finds Link Between Obesity and Flu Severity

 

By David Brown and Robin Shulman

Washington Post Staff Writers

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

 

A survey of people hospitalized because of swine flu in California has raised the possibility that obesity is as much of a risk factor for serious complications from the flu as diabetes, heart disease and pregnancy, all known to raise a person's risk.

 

In all, about two-thirds of the California patients had some underlying medical condition, according to a report yesterday in the weekly bulletin of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Nationwide, 47 states and the District have reported 5,469 cases and six deaths since the start of the outbreak in late April, according to the CDC's count. Yesterday, officials in Missouri reported a seventh U.S. death -- that of a 44-year-old man who had no underlying medical problems, wire services reported.

 

"We were surprised by the frequency of obesity among the severe cases that we've been tracking," said Anne Schuchat, one of the CDC epidemiologists managing the outbreak. She said scientists are "looking into" the possibility that obese people should be at the head of the line along with other high-risk groups if a swine flu vaccine becomes available.

 

Other studies have shown that pregnant women are also at higher risk for serious influenza infection, especially in the third trimester, when the fetus and womb compress the lower parts of the lungs. This makes it harder to breathe deeply and cough forcefully; it may also alter blood flow in the chest. A similar thing may be occurring in severely overweight people, some experts speculated.

 

The average age of the 30 Californians hospitalized for swine flu was 27.5 years. Nearly three-quarters were women, and 65 percent were Hispanic. Half lived in two counties bordering Mexico.

 

Of the 30 people, 11 had a lung ailment such as asthma or emphysema, six had an immune disorder, five had heart disease, five were pregnant, four had diabetes and four were obese.

 

In New York, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) said officials were investigating whether 16-month-old Jonathan Castillo, who died with a high fever Monday night at a Queens hospital, had contracted the H1N1 virus. The toddler's 3-year-old sibling was treated for flulike symptoms and released.

 

The mayor said lack of health insurance or immigration status should not deter people who feel sick from seeking attention.

 

"Whether you have health insurance coverage or your immigration status is in question, it doesn't matter," Bloomberg said. "We will not ask about that."

 

The mayor also said four inmates at a Rikers Island jail had been confirmed to have the H1N1 virus and four more are likely to have it.

 

The union representing the city's correctional officers criticized the response to the swine flu outbreak among inmates and filed a letter of protest with the state Labor Department.

 

"If I had to design a place where you could put people who were sick and get as many people sick as possible, it's the New York City jail," said Richard J. Koehler, a lawyer for the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...1902609_pf.html

 

 

[OINK]

But were they fit obese people? I'm morbidly obese, but I workout 4 days a week for over an hour each day. My cholesterol is lower than alot of skinny people. I'd like to know if they were fit or lazy

[Violet]

Boy, am I in trouble then ! Diabetes and fat.... I know about the diabetes. I am so careful and tell my family and friends if they have a cold or anything, do NOT come around me.

I don't like going to the doctors office since there are germy people in there.

 

[Cat]

Well, ya know the media will be holding this one up for everyone to see.

 

Obesity is the new "smoking"... evil, epidemic, taxable.

 

 

~~~

 

State lawmakers want a penny for your soda: new riff on 'fat tax' will charge penny per drink

BY Glenn Blain

DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU

 

Tuesday, May 19th 2009, 12:48 PM

State lawmakers are trying to give the fat tax new life.

 

ALBANY - Senate Democrats want to impose a penny excise tax on non-diet sodas to help fund a plan to provide property tax relief to homeowners.

 

"It's a small amount of money, as far as increasing the price of soda, and it would allow the governor and the state to have a new slogan for soda: 'Have a coke, a rebate check and a smile,'" said state Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) who unveiled the plan yesterday.

 

Klein said the soda tax would generate $100 million annually, with 80% of the money dedicated toward reviving the state's $1.5 billion STAR Property Tax Rebate program.

 

The remaining 20% would fund youth recreation programs aimed at cutting obesity rates.

 

The STAR rebate program was cut from this year's budget because of the state's fiscal crisis.

 

The Senate's soda tax is similar to one proposed by Gov. Paterson in December that met heavy resistance from bottlers and retailers.

 

Paterson and state lawmakers later agreed to use $1.3 billion in stimulus money to remove that and a host of other nuisance taxes from the budget.

 

Paterson reacted coldly to the revived plan, saying it does not provide enough money to fund their tax relief proposals.

 

"It sounds great, but in the end these numbers have to be real," Paterson said.

 

The plan would also eliminate an existing sales tax exemption on gold and other metal bullion and coins for investments, and expand games and gaming hours at the video gaming facilities.

 

Klein conceded his plan would raise enough money to re-instate the rebate checks, but nothing for a property tax circuit breaker that Senate Democrats hope to implement in 2010-2011.

 

The circuit breaker, which is estimated to cost another $1.5 billion, would grant income tax credits to homeowners whose property tax bills reach a certain percentage of their total household income.

 

"We would have to find (the money) as we find everything when we negotiate the budget," Klein said.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/05/19...arge_penny.html

[TurtleMama]

Well, I'm in trouble...I'm an asthmatic, very curvy female!! hehehe I am actually wondering if being obese is REALLY a "risk factor," or if the four overweight victims were simply a reflection of the statistical occurance of obesity in our society. After all, they keep saying that there are more and more heavy people...wouldn't it kinda make sense that some of the victims would be overweight? Not only that, but since obesity is linked to both diabetes and heart disease, well...DUH!!! Those are the people who have higher risk factors for infectious diseases in general. I think they're just R-E-A-C-H-I-N-G as far as they can for silly little "causes" that make the sheeple feel more safe. It's actually getting quite transparent and ridiculous (IMHO!!! hehe).

[OINK]

huh. I haven't been told I have heart disease, but I do have a dead thyroid, and I quit smoking and when I lost both the kids, I went into a very deep depression for 5 yrs and just sat and ate and ate and ate.

But I do think turtle is on to something with the fact that the "obese" folks are just a statistic of the American populace.

[TurtleMama]

huh. I haven't been told I have heart disease, but I do have a dead thyroid, and I quit smoking and when I lost both the kids, I went into a very deep depression for 5 yrs and just sat and ate and ate and ate.

But I do think turtle is on to something with the fact that the "obese" folks are just a statistic of the American populace.

 

((((((Oink))))))

 

I don't know what happened to your children, hon, but I am so sorry you had to experience such terrible grief.

 

[sassenach]

Turtlemama, the possibility of obesity being a factor is that , like pregnancy, it puts pressure on the lungs in very overweight people, making it hard to get full, regular breathing. IF someone who is overweight, does get this flu, or any flu, if they normally sleep on their back, they will have compromised breathing, propping themselves up so that their chest and head angle up can help relieve some of the pressure. Using a foam rubber wedge or many solid pillows, so that they are more like they are sitting up. This can alleviate the lungs pressure somewhat. I find the finding makes it very possible to make it harder to recover. Of course, this simple technique could make anyone's sleep or resting while laying down if they are sick with this flu, helpful. It must be that the health pro's are finding that obesity is a factor thats putting people on breathing aparatus with this flu. It's not as dumb as it sounds, I think.

I've been around too many folks with breathing problems from various disorders and this wedge method to raise the upper body up can be a very simple technique that helps alot. Oxygen intake is vital, especially in respiratory illnesses.

[OINK]

((((((Oink))))))

 

I don't know what happened to your children, hon, but I am so sorry you had to experience such terrible grief.

 

 

Thank you TM. I know everything is suppose to be a lesson, but I'll be darn if I can figure out the one that goes with that! whatever. Life's too short to dwell on it. Kids have done told me so, so I'm walking on.

[Jingles]

Great I am very overweight, have an underlying health condition, am borderline diabetic, just done with a large does of predisone, and just got over pneumonia! I feel MUCH better now!

 

I sleep on my side. I tried to sleep on the recliner when I got pneumonia, but it was worse than on my side. I think it's cause of my ummmm........ rather large upper body area! The weight makes it hard to breath in the recliner.

 

Plus my cough is back again.

 

Oh and there are now confirmed cases of the flu in every county around us now. I'm doomed and so is the family. I am never leaving the house again!

[Mother]

I will hold my opinion until they PROVE to me that obesity is a factor in Swine Flu deaths any more than it is in the regular flu deaths. After all, aren't they telling us on one hand that this IS no worse than the regular flu????????????

 

They are grasping at straws. They have been trying to show preexisting conditions for all the deaths in the US but what about the other deaths around the world. Is there a connection of obesity among THOSE deaths? According to WHO there are only 79 of them so far. What IS the percentage of obesity among them all? Inquiring minds want to know.!!!!