Could being overweight play a role in one’s susceptibility to swine flu? Researchers say that some cases of the H1N1 virus in Michigan suggest that obesity could explain why some people who get infected get so sick. On Friday, a report detailed the cases of 10 very ill swine flu patients in Michigan. Three of them died. All but one of the 10 were either obese or extremely obese, and only three of them had other health problems. Two of the three that died had no other health conditions, CNN reported. “Clinicians need to be aware that severe complications can occur in patients with the novel H1N1 virus, particularly in extremely obese patients,” said Dr. Tim Uyeki, a flu expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Uyeki was a co-author of the report, released by a CDC publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. But, even though most of those who have gotten severely ill from swine flu have been obese or extremely obese, health officials note that it could be due to the fact that overweight people are more likely to have asthma and other maladies that make them more susceptible. Obesity alone has never been seen as a risk factor for seasonal flu, they note. Last week, federal officials announced that the U.S. government is ready to spend another $1 billion in orders for swine flu vaccinations.

TAGS: H1N1, obesity, swine flu

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