'Weight isn't always within your control': Why some states are prioritizing obesity patients for the

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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/06/covid-vaccine-cdc-states-prioritize-people-obesity-heres-why/6883235002/

'Weight isn't always within your control': Why some states are prioritizing obesity patients for the COVID-19 vaccine
Adrianna Rodriguez
USA TODAY

Patty Nece hasn’t been inside a retail store for an entire year.

Even though most Virginia businesses reopened by July and grocery stores remained opened throughout the pandemic, the 62-year-old hasn't dared to step inside one since last March, as her obesity puts her at risk for severe COVID-19.

Because of her disease, she’s eligible to get the vaccine and has an appointment for her first dose on Wednesday. While she’s looking forward to getting vaccinated, she’s also disappointed some Americans have criticized people with obesity who are prioritized to get the vaccine.

“It displays a misunderstanding … weight isn’t always within your control,” said Nece, who is also the chairwoman of the Obesity Action Coalition. “Like many diseases, there’s personal responsibility involved but that’s not the end. The mantra of eat less and move more – which I’ve heard my entire life – isn’t the answer.”
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Roughly 40% of adult Americans have obesity, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2018. Studies have shown people with obesity are more likely to have worse outcomes from COVID-19 than others with a lower body mass index (BMI).

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found people with a BMI above30 had a 113% higher risk for hospitalization, a 74% higher risk for ICU admission and a 48% higher risk of death, according to a study published in August 2020 in Obesity Reviews.
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