A new study reveals that individuals with obesity face a 70% higher risk of severe infectious diseases, including flu and COVID-19. Conducted by researchers analyzing data from over 67,000 adults in Finland and 470,000 in the UK, the study emphasizes the urgent need for policies promoting healthy lifestyles to mitigate these risks. The findings indicate that obesity weakens the immune system, leading to higher hospitalization and death rates from infections. The study estimates that eliminating obesity could prevent 9-11% of global infection-related deaths, with the highest rates linked to obesity found in the US. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)