The National Board of Health and Welfare has the task of reviewing which groups are most at risk of suffering from a serious illness in covid 19. In the latest report published a couple of weeks ago, the National Board of Health and Welfare refers, among other things, to studies showing a BMI, body mass index, between 30 and 39 quadruple the risk of becoming seriously ill and needing corona care.
With a BMI over 40, that risk doubles.
Over a million with obesity in Sweden
Today, those with a BMI over 40 can receive preventive sickness benefit and also vaccines in priogroup 3, but studies show that the risks of serious illness increase long before BMI 40, already at BMI 30. But despite the fact that it is estimated that over a million of Sweden's population today suffers from obesity, ie a body weight that is unhealthily high, the diagnosis of obesity is rarely found in patient records.
The reason is that most overweight people seek care for something else, such as back pain or diabetes that can be caused by obesity.
The National Board of Health and Welfare, which has the task of also assessing the size of each risk group, writes in its report that record keeping on obesity is lacking.
Therefore, they can not change any recommendations regarding that group: "This means that the information in the patient register is currently not useful for analysis of risks with obesity in healthcare."
"Catch 22"
- It's so outrageous.
This is part 22!
One thus realizes that science is clear;
Obesity is a very big risk factor for covid 19. At the same time, it is said that you can not act on this basis and ensure that this group receives sickness benefit and vaccine because the health service does not diagnose obesity in that way, says Joanna Uddén, chief physician and obesity researcher.