Obese people more likely to die from flu

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When deciding who should be at the top of the list for getting a flu vaccine, health officials should consider new research from Canada’s McMaster University. Up to half a million people die every year from influenza and the World Health Organization wanted to find out who is most at risk. Researchers looked at 239 studies to come up with some answers.

“Policy makers around the globe recommend priority vaccinations for patients at risk for complications of influenza infection,” said Dr. Dominik Mertz, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of medicine at McMaster University. “But basically the data supporting those recommendations has never been systematically looked at.”

Should there be a pandemic and a shortage of vaccine it is important to have a clear idea of who should have priority for immunization.

BMI of 30 increases death risk

Currently, Canada recommends first in line for a vaccine should be elderly people, children aged six to 59 months and pregnant women. This new study says that obese people with a BMI of 30 have almost three times the average person’s chance of dying from the flu or suffering severe complication and should be on the priority list.

It’s not clear whether the reason is the mere fact of being obese increases the risk, or whether it is the other problems that come with obesity such as diabetes or heart and circulatory problems.  Further research needs to be done to determine that, recommends this study.

One in four adult and one in 10 children in Canada are obese according to the Canadian Obesity Network.

New moms risk complications

Women who had recently given birth were also found to have four times the risk of death during pandemic influenza. Also at higher risk for complications from flu were people with cardiovascular and neuromuscular diseases.

Aboriginal people were thought to be at higher risk during the last flu scare in 2009 but this study did not find they had more than average complications from flu, nor did other ethnic minorities.

Neither were pregnant women found to have more complicated influenza.

Children under five were more likely to get pneumonia, but they had a lower risk of death and hospital admission than older children. The study concludes they should not be higher than adults on the priority list for vaccination.

Elderly people have the highest risk of death from seasonal and pandemic flu according to this study.

This study will help the World Health Organization make recommendations about priorities for flu vaccination programs. Even sooner, it is likely to inform updates of immunization that occur yearly in western countries like Canada.

The study was published in the journal of the British Medical Association.