Co-morbidities and COVID-19
Many of us in New South Wales have returned to pre-lockdown activities and are enjoying getting back into the things that are important to us. However, it’s important to remember that infections of any type are common issues that we will continue to challenge the community long term. Today Longevity Exercise Physiology discusses emerging data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics regarding common co-morbidities that were seen in Australians who passed away from COVID-19 and what we can do to prevent these chronic conditions.
For people who died from COVID-19 the most common co-morbidities were hypertension, dementia, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases, cancer, ischaemic heart disease and musculoskeletal conditions.
So what does that tell us?
In short, it indicates that having a chronic health condition can put us at higher risk of not recovering from infections. This is often because chronic health conditions can depress immune function and make it harder to fight off infections. Respiratory conditions, for example asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cause inflammation of the airways and are likely to be exacerbated by infections, which also targets the airways.
But its not all doom and gloom…the important point is many chronic diseases are preventable and managed with modifications of lifestyle factors such as exercise, nutrition and sleep.
There are a number of markers you can be monitoring from a young age to reduce your risk of developing a chronic disease and therefore, the effect of infectious disease on you.
Have you checked in recently with the following markers?
- What’s your blood pressure like?
- How are your cholesterol or blood sugar levels tracking?
- What is your alcohol intake like?
- Are you in the healthy range for Body Mass Index: 25-29.9kg/m2?
- Are you meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines?
- How many hours of sleep do you get each night?
- Are you following a healthy diet?
Longevity’s Exercise Physiologists are allied health professionals who have the skills to deliver safe and effective exercise interventions for people with chronic medical conditions, injuries or disabilities. We pride ourselves on looking at all aspects of your health and supporting you with the tools to improve all modifiable lifestyle factors such as sleep, food intake, and bodyweight.
Give us a call on 1300 964 002 and make a start preventing and/or managing any chronic conditions you may have.
By Courtney Maher
