Obese more vulnerable to flu
October 26th, 2011 - 3:13 pm ICT by IANSWashington, Oct 26 (IANS) If you’re fat, you need extra protection from flu. New research says that excess weight makes flu vaccines less effective.
“The results suggest that overweight people would be more likely than healthy ones to experience flu illness following exposure to the flu virus,” said study co-author Melinda Beck, professor in nutrition at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
The findings explain a phenomenon noticed during the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak: that obesity is linked with an impaired immune response to flu shots in humans, the International Journal of Obesity reports.
“These new findings seem to give us a reason why obese people were more susceptible to influenza illness during the H1N1 pandemic compared to healthy weight people,” a university statement quoted Beck as saying.
- H1N1 pandemic flu strain 'key to universal vaccine' - Jan 11, 2011
- Cuba to give flu shots to over 600,000 people - Nov 20, 2011
- Mexican swine flu outbreak kills 29, infects nearly 1,500 - Jan 28, 2012
- '2009 swine flu pandemic won't return to Maharashtra' - Apr 04, 2012
- Why H1N1 increased mortality in healthy kids? - Nov 07, 2011
- The reason behind mildness of 2009 H1N1 pandemic - Jun 19, 2010
- Swine flu claims 10 victims in Britain - Dec 13, 2010
- Hyperactive immune system kills adults during pandemic flu - Dec 06, 2010
- Obesity ups death risk for swine flu patients - Jan 05, 2011
- 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine protects mice from 1918 flu virus - Jun 16, 2010
- Maternal influenza vaccination linked to flu protection in infants - Oct 05, 2010
- Link between low birth weight and H1N1 flu revealed - May 03, 2011
- Extreme obesity linked to higher risk of death for 2009 H1N1 patients - Jan 05, 2011
- More seizures in children with H1N1 virus than those with seasonal flu - Sep 20, 2010
- Scientists review fate of pandemic H1N1 flu virus - Sep 29, 2010
Tags: co author, excess weight, flu, flu outbreak, flu shots, flu vaccines, flu virus, h1n1, immune response, influenza, international journal of obesity, medicine, melinda beck, north carolina school, nutrition, pandemic, phenomenon, school of medicine, university of north carolina