Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/F8CZzJ1F3fc   Obese persons who lose significant weight can reduce their risk of developing severe and fatal CoVid by nearly 60%.  This the conclusion of a Cleveland Clinic cohort study of 11,809 obese adult patients.   The experimental group consisted of 2,958 patients who had lost 17% or more of their body weight prior to the first wave of CoVid that hit Cleveland in March, 2020.  This weight loss was triggered by bariatric surgical procedures.  A group of 8,851 persistently obese persons served as the control group.  The mean weight difference between groups was 44 pounds.   Although the rate of CoVid infection was statistically the same for both groups, 9.1% for the weight loss group versus 8.7% for the controls, those who lost the weight enjoyed a 49% lower risk of hospitalization, a 63% lower need for supplemental oxygen, a 58% reduced risk of severe CoVid, and a 72% lower risk of death.   Though those in the study achieved their weight loss through surgery, a well-executed