Obesity, higher in rural areas, may raise flu risk

A report just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests linkages between swine flu cases and underlying medical conditions. David Brown and Robin Shulman of The Washington Post report that a survey of Californians hospitalized for swine flu raises the possibility that a significant rural health problem, obesity, is as much an influential risk factor for serious complications of the flu as diabetes, pregnancy and heart disease. (Associated Press photo: A 240-pound high school sophomore in 2005.)

Researchers speculate that obesity compresses parts of the lungs, hindering breathing and blood flow in the chest, which makes flu symptoms more damaging. Anne Schuchat, a CDC epidemiologist, told Brown and Shulman, "We were surprised by the frequency of obesity among the severe cases that we've been tracking," and said scientists are considering whether obese people should be included with other high-risk groups and be first in line if a swine flu vaccine becomes available.

For rural areas and obese states such as Kentucky, where there are 20 confirmed cases of swine flu, obesity may be an underlying factor, especially since the virus has been targeting younger people -- who have higher than average obesity rates. In a 2005 study in rural Pennsylvania, 20 percent of students were considered obese, 4 percent more than the national average. Because obesity is highly correlated with diabetes, another risk factor for acquiring swine flu, rural areas may be at an increased risk. (Read more).