NEW DELHI: The Covid-19 vaccines protect people of all body weights from hospitalisation and death, according to a study published in the journal, The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, on Friday. The study of 90 lakh adults in England said that the vaccine effectiveness was similar for those with a higher body mass index (BMI) and a healthy weight but slightly lower in the underweight group, who were also the least likely to have been vaccinated.
“Our findings provide further evidence that Covid-19 vaccines save lives for people of all sizes,” the study said, putting to rest the fear that obesity was a significant risk factor for severe Covid-19 early in the pandemic
“Our results provide reassurance to people with obesity that Covid-19 vaccines are equally as effective for them as for people with a lower BMI, and that vaccination substantially reduces their risk of severe illness if they are infected with Covid-19,” said the lead author Carmen Piernas from the University of Oxford, UK.
In its analysis of the vaccinated cohort, they found increased risks of severe Covid-19 outcomes for people with underweight or obesity compared with the vaccinated population with a healthy weight. These results suggest the need for targeted efforts to increase uptake in people with low BMI in whom uptake is lower and vaccine effectiveness seems to be reduced. The study, however, said that strategies to achieve and maintain a healthy weight should be prioritised.