Our weapon against Covid, one money can’t buy: Exercise

Our weapon against Covid, one money can’t buy... We have to work for it. For those vaccinated, it will elevate our fight against Covid to a higher level. The answer is exercise.

View here (Dr Ling Health Wave, Sept 9, 2021)

Physical activity and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe Covid-19 illness and Covid-19 related mortality in South Korea: A nationwide cohort study

What are the findings?

‘Our results indicated that those who engaged in both aerobic and muscle strengthening activity according to 2018 exercise guidelines had a lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted relative risk (aRR), 0.85; 95% CI 0.72 to 0.96), severe COVID-19 illness (aRR 0.42; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.91) and COVID-19 related death (aRR, 0.24; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.99) than those who did not.

‘Our findings reported that the recommended key target range of metabolic equivalent task (MET; 500–1000 MET min/week) was associated with the maximum beneficial effect size for reduced the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (aRR 0.78; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.92), severe COVID-19 illness (aRR 0.62; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.90) and COVID-19 related death (aRR 0.17; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.98). The length of stay in hospital was shortened about approximately 2 days in patients with both aerobic and muscle strengthening or with 500–1000 MET min/week.’

How might it impact on clinical practice in the future?

‘The findings of the study suggest that public health policies and strategies to increase physical activity at the population level may reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and minimise adverse consequences in patients with COVID-19.

‘Encouraging individuals to have active level of physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic should be promptly and actively considered at the public health level.’

Read here (BMJ British Journal of Sports Medicine, July 22, 2021)

Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk for severe Covid-19 outcomes: a study in 48,440 adult patients

What are the findings?

‘Patients with COVID-19 who were consistently inactive during the 2 years preceding the pandemic were more likely to be hospitalised, admitted to the intensive care unit and die than patients who were consistently meeting physical activity guidelines. Other than advanced age and a history of organ transplant, physical inactivity was the strongest risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes.

‘Meeting US Physical Activity Guidelines was associated with substantial benefit, but even those doing some physical activity had lower risks for severe COVID-19 outcomes including death than those who were consistently inactive.’

How might it impact on clinical practice in the future?

‘The potential for habitual physical activity to lower COVID-19 illness severity should be promoted by the medical community and public health agencies.’

Read here (BMJ British Journal of Sports Medicine, April 13, 2021)

Regular exercise can reduce the risk of severe outcomes for Covid-19, says study

‘Doctors at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, who led the study, included 48,440 subjects who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 2020 and October 2020 and asked them how often they’d exercised over the previous two years. They measured answers by the Exercise Vital Sign, a standard that identifies whether people are meeting the government’s Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The most recent version, updated in 2018, recommends that on a weekly basis, adults do 150 minutes to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, with additional guidelines for strength training.    

‘These are the main findings: 

• People who were “consistently inactive,” meaning they exercised anywhere from zero to 10 minutes per week, had a 2.26 greater chance of hospitalization, a 1.73 greater chance of ICU admission and 2.49 greater odds of death from COVID-19 compared to patients who were consistently active. 
• People who did “some activity,” which equaled anywhere from 11 to 149 minutes per week, had a 1.89 greater chance of hospitalization, a 1.58 greater chance of ICU admission and a 1.88 times greater chance of death than those who were consistently active.’

Read here (news.yahoo.com, Apr 16, 2021)

Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk for severe Covid-19 outcomes: A study in 48,440 adult patients

Read here (BMJ, Apr 7, 2021)

Obesity, walking pace and risk of severe Covid-19 and mortality: Analysis of UK Biobank

‘Both obesity and self-reported walking pace are independently associated with the population level risk of severe COVID-19 and COVID-19 mortality in UK Biobank. However, self-reported slow walkers had the highest risk regardless of their obesity status, with normal weight slow walkers having over twice the risk of severe disease and almost four times the risk of COVID-19 mortality compared to normal weight brisk walkers.’

Read here (International Journal of Obesity, February 26, 2021)