Apparently, their chances of contracting and dying from Covid can increase significantly
According to a recent study carried out by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, ‘slow walkers’ are more likely to both contract and die from coronavirus. This isn’t just a case of hanging around as Covid droplets linger in the air, it also relates to BMI.
People who are considered normal weight but walk slowly could be as much as 2.5 times more likely to develop Covid-19 symptoms. Furthermore, they have also been estimated to be 3.75 times more likely to die from the virus than those who walk more swiftly in the same weight classification.
These figures were ascertained by using the BMI (body mass index) and self-reported walking paces from 412,596 middle-aged UK Biobank participants. The result were published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Tom Yates – lead researcher and professor at the University of Leicester – also pointed out that while the study did not “we know already that obesity and frailty are key risk factors for Covid-19 outcomes”.
Naturally, the two factors are linked; Professor Yates added that “fast walkers have been shown to generally have good cardiovascular and heart health, making them more resilient to external stressors, including viral infection, but this hypothesis has not yet been established for infectious disease.”
Regardless, the study showed that the risk of contraction and fatality was just as high for those of normal weight who walk slowly as someone deemed overweight/obese who walks quickly.
In conclusion, the belief is that steps could be taken to further help the prevention of further spreading the coronavirus. So, not unlike the ‘act like you have it advice’, it’s worth pretending everyone else does too and getting a move on.
