Impact of COVID-19 on the Destiny of Bariatric Patients.

Obese patients reported worse outcomes of COVID-19 related to prothrombotic and low-grade inflammation status. During the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, all non-elective surgeries were postponed, including bariatric surgery (BS). This umbrella review wants to underline obesity as a condition provoking low-grade chronic inflammation, and increasing severe COVID-19 risk; to relaunch the prioritization of BS. The literature search was conducted in March 2022 via Pubmed (MEDLINE) and focused on reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in peer-reviewed journals. Terms "bariatric surgery" OR "obesity surgery" OR "metabolic surgery" were analyzed with "COVID-19" OR "SARS-CoV-2" using the AND modifier. Only 13 studies of the 406 screened met the objective. The procrastination of BS over the past two years determined a delay in obesity treatment and severe consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on economic costs. Although BS has high costs, a lifetime cost advantage over conventional weight loss methods was demonstrated. As the pandemic continues, health policies must recognize obesity as a disease-predisposing factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering COVID-19 as a new comorbidity mitigable by BS. Care pathways for obese patients in COVID/post-COVID era should be revitalized and the concept of elective surgery attributed to BS should be reformulated.

Exploring the Sustainable Benefits of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy.

This study aimed to identify adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and its effect on health and environmental and socioeconomic sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of the Italian population. Notably, it intended to assess the effect of adherence to the MedDiet on ecological footprints and food expenditure. A survey was conducted from the 5th to the 24th of April 2020 on Google Forms. The MEDAS questionnaire was used to determine the level of adherence to the MedDiet. The carbon footprint (CO2), water footprint (H2O), and food cost were calculated. In total, 3353 participants completed the questionnaire, ranging from 18 to 86 years old. A statistically significant difference was observed in the CO2 and H2O among BMI groups (p < 0.001). The low- and medium-MEDAS groups showed higher CO2 (p < 0.001). The food cost (EUR/week) resulted in statistically significant differences among the MEDAS groups. The CO2 results were significantly lower in organic-market buyers compared to non-organic-market buyers (p < 0.001). Public health must promote awareness of how adhering to a healthy lifestyle and making appropriate food choices can positively impact our health and social and economic well-being.