ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic is related with unfavourable body weight changes. However, little is known on the changes in older individuals, a particularly vulnerable group with limited access both for direct and on-line research. OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were: 1) to assess changes in body weight and determinants of these changes, 2) to assess prevalence of history of COVID-19 and its impact on changes in body weight in older individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The analysis included 2,076 residents of Krakow, aged 60-84 years. Data on sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, history of COVID-19 and changes in body weight were collected in 2021-2022 by postal survey. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used. RESULTS: COVID-19 testing was done in 29.3% of participants, of which one in three was positive; 14.3% of participants had any history of COVID-19. Almost 2/3 of the study participants declared no change in body weight during the pandemic, 26.2% gained weight. Weight gain was associated with unfavourable sociodemographic and lifestyle traits. Weight loss was reported by 11.3% participants, and it was associated with poor perceived health and a history of COVID-19. Controlling for covariates, history of COVID-19 was associated with about 4 times higher odds of weight loss in any case (OR= 2.69; 95%CI=1.59-4.57 for non-hospitalized cases, and OR=18.96; 95%CI: 5.64- 63.73 for hospitalized cases). CONCLUSIONS: Most people who changed their body weight gained weight in relation with unfavourable lifestyle change, but the history of COVID-19, especially hospitalization was a strong determinant of body weight loss.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic of COVID-19, which in Poland raised all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) death rates by over 15% only in 2020, naturally decreased the attention to the prevention of CVD. Nevertheless, the reports on the characteristics of COVID-19 patients and especially on factors related to the severe or fatal outcome of the disease included information on more frequent CVD risk factors and atherosclerotic CVD. This article reviews the evidence on the exposure to CVD risk factors in the Polish adult population and discusses evidence on the associations between CVD risk factors and COVID-19. CVD and CVD risk factors, obesity and diabetes, in particular, are related to the severe course or fatal outcome of COVID-19. High prevalence of CVD risk factors with an increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes could make the Polish population more sensitive to COVID-19 incidence and put infected persons at higher risk of serious complications and fatal outcome. Likely, the increased number of CVD deaths observed during the pandemic could be explained partially by the high prevalence of CVD risk factors and atherosclerotic CVD, as well as by the direct cardiac complications of COVID-19, short-term higher risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, and possibly by the underuse of lifesaving procedures in acute and chronic CVD.