Should be no surprise to anyone, but the news is now claiming that fat folks are more at-risk for COVID-19 complications.

Why are they more at risk?

Because they are fat?

Surely, that must be it, because that’s what the headlines are saying.

No.

People with (poorly controlled) diabetes, heart disease and lung disease (COPD or asthma) are more at risk.

All people with one or more of these problems.

Not JUST fat people.

But many fat people are at risk for these conditions.

Another at-risk factor is being old.

The median age of COVID-19 ICU patients is 71.

But we all know there are no OLD fat people (except yours truly, of course).

Here’s a direct quote from the CDC about underlying conditions that can increase your risk:

• Blood disorders (e.g., sickle cell disease or on blood thinners)

• Chronic kidney disease as defined by your doctor. Patient has been told to avoid or reduce the dose of medications because kidney disease, or is under treatment for kidney disease, including receiving dialysis

• Chronic liver disease as defined by your doctor. (e.g., cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis) Patient has been told to avoid or reduce the dose of medications because liver disease or is under treatment for liver disease.

• Compromised immune system (immunosuppression) (e.g., seeing a doctor for cancer and treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation, received an organ or bone marrow transplant, taking high doses of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressant medications, HIV or AIDS)

• Current or recent pregnancy in the last two weeks

• Endocrine disorders (e.g., diabetes mellitus)

• Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)

• Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)

• Lung disease including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis or emphysema) or other chronic conditions associated with impaired lung function or that require home oxygen

• Neurological and neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability, moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury].

Do you see being fat listed there?

I don’t.

Go ahead, read it again.

I’ll wait.

Being fat isn’t listed.

Conditions that EVERYBODY can have are listed.

So maybe the issue is having the underlying condition, not the overlying fatness.

So get a grip folks.

Stop with the fatties gonna die rhetoric.

We’ve heard it before, and sadly, we’ll hear it again.

And yet, we are still here.

It’s about being at-risk, NOT fat-risk.