"Obesity Is Major COVID-19 Risk Factor, Says French Chief Epidemiologist"

And the Western world is getting fatter by the hour.
Here's just the latest of the headlines to drop out of the feedreaders, this one from FreightWaves:

Borderlands: Cheez-Its, chocolate, candy among top imports from Mexico during pandemic

A few more after the jump.
From U.S. News and World Reports:

Being overweight is a major risk for people infected with the new coronavirus and the United States is particularly vulnerable because of high obesity levels there, France's chief epidemiologist said on Wednesday.

Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, who heads the scientific council that advises the government on the epidemic, said as many as 17 million of France's 67 million citizens were seriously at risk from the coronavirus because of age, pre-existing illness or obesity.

"This virus is terrible, it can hit young people, in particular obese young people. Those who are overweight really need to be careful," Delfraissy told franceinfo radio.

"That is why we're worried about our friends in America, where the problem of obesity is well known and where they will probably have the most problems because of obesity."

Delfraissy said 88% of those infected with the coronavirus suffered only severe flu-like symptoms.

The mortality rate for young people entering hospital with severe COVID-19 respiratory disease was about 2%, he said, but that rose to 14% for people who are more fragile....MORE

It's one of those little ironies, sheltering in place leads to obesity which is a comorbidity with Covid-19.
Sort of like the fact that as temperatures go down utilities burn more hydrocarbons causing the carbon market to go up.
Or Steven Wright's observation that there is only one company allowed to manufacture the game "Monopoly".

Previously in putting on the pounds:
April 4
"Coronavirus pandemic spurs a chocolate and frozen pizza sales boom in America: Nestle USA CEO"
That's it, time to dust off the diabetes/retinopathy/dialysis/prosthetics portfolio.
"‘We can’t make enough mac and cheese’: Processed food is undergoing a renaissance as people settle in for a long stretch of cooking at home" (KHC; CPB; CAG)
March 31
"How the coronavirus crisis is affecting food supply"
I'm guessing there won't be a lot of people in the West losing weight.