COVID Watch: Increase in obesity in Kentucky puts people at higher risk from COVID-19

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Amid the growth of COVID-19 in Kentucky comes another alarming statistic: Adult obesity continues to increase in the Bluegrass State and across the nation.

That's especially bad during the pandemic because obesity is linked to a higher rate of hospitalizations and more severe outcomes for those infected by the coronavirus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the CDC's words, "Obesity worsens outcomes from COVID-19, increasing the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death."

Kentucky is now among 12 states with 35% or more of adults who are obese, according to the CDC announcement last week. The rate of obesity is 36.5% according to the federal agency, using 2019 data, the latest available.

In 2018, nine states had rates of obesity above 35%, which was an increase from six states in 2017.

Kentucky now ranks third in its rate of adults who are overweight and obese, according to a separate report released by the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health policy group. Mississippi ranked first and West Virginia, second. Kentucky ranked fifth last year.

It found that about 72% of Kentuckians are either overweight or obese.

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Kentucky's rate has risen steadily over the past two decades, along with that of many other states, the report found.

In 1985, no state had an adult obesity rate of more than 15%, the report said.

The CDC defines being overweight or obese as weight that is higher than what is considered healthy for a given height. A person's body mass index, or BMI, which is a person's weight divided by height, is used to determine whether someone is overweight or obese.

The CDC provides a calculator on its website, cdc.gov, to figure out your BMI.

The federal agency urges "small steps" to improve health and lose weight during the pandemic, including healthier diets and more exercise.

The Trust for America's Health report argues a broader effort is required. It says "obesity prevention efforts have been insufficient for decades in the United States," and the COVID-19 pandemic is worsening the obesity epidemic by decreasing income, access to healthy food and exercise options.

It calls for a national response on ways to improve education about diet and exercise, access to healthy food and making physical activity safer and more accessible, saying, "The United States needs bolder policies and more investments in long-term, evidence-based programs that reduce obesity."

COVID-19 and people of color

Louisville and state public health leaders already have recognized what a new, national analysis shows — Black, Hispanic and Asian individuals who test positive for COVID-19 are sicker and more likely to be hospitalized and die than white patients.

That's the finding of a joint effort by Epic Health Research Network, a health journal, and the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health organization.

The study analyzed electronic health data from about 50 million patients.

It found COVID-19 infection rates among Hispanic patients were three times higher than white patients. Black patients were twice as likely to test positive.

Among patients who tested positive for the coronavirus, Black, Hispanic and Asian patients were at higher risk of hospitalization and death.

In the Louisville area, 23% of residents are Black but account for about 27% of COVID-19 related deaths. Hispanic residents make up 6% of the population but account for 13% of positive cases and 3% of deaths, according to recent statistics.

Statewide, Black residents comprise about 8.5% of the population but account for 14% of deaths and 13% of COVID-19 cases in Kentucky.

Kentucky is seeking to improve those statistics by getting more people of color enrolled in health coverage, primarily Medicaid, through a program called "1-2-3 No Cost to Me."

Louisville health officials are working to expand outreach to Hispanic residents and offer more testing after finding in July that a high rate of those individuals appeared to be testing positive for COVID-19.

The Epic-Kaiser Foundation report found that people of color likely face more difficulty getting tests for COVID-19 and don't get tested until they are in more serious condition, leading to worse outcomes.

"The findings highlight the continued importance of addressing racial disparities in responding to COVID-19 as in health care more broadly," said Drew Altman, Kaiser Foundation president and CEO.

Seeking minority volunteers

There's a way people of color from Louisville can help document the prevalence of the virus and aid research into how the illness is affecting minority communities. The Co-Immunity Project, a collaboration of the city's big three health systems, is still doing randomized testing for COVID-19 across Jefferson County.

The project expected to wrap up testing Saturday and tests for both the live virus by taking a nasal swab and for antibodies with a finger stick. The results on about 3,000 people, including participants invited to walk up at the Saturday health fair at Redeemer Lutheran Church in west Louisville, are expected later this month.

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Results from a first round showed an alarmingly high rate of potential infection across Jefferson County. Researchers estimated that between 10,000 to 20,000 people have been exposed, far more than the 4,000 or so that have tested positive in recent months.

The next round of tests will be conducted in about eight weeks. 

More COVID-19 information

For people with general questions about COVID-19, such as symptoms, treatment or tests, the Kentucky Poison Control Center is taking calls at 800-722-5725.

For more information, see the state's website, govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19, or call the COVID-19 hotline, 800-722-5725. Information on COVID-19 test sites is available on the website.

Information also is available at louisvilleky.gov/government/health-wellness from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness. The department's COVID-19 dashboard is at louisvilleky.gov/covid19.

Reach Deborah Yetter at dyetter@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4228 or on Twitter at @d_yetter. Reach Grace Schneider at gschneider@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @gesinfk.