Direct and indirect effects of a healthy lifestyle and their association with COVID-19 multi-organ sequelae and pre-infection pathology. a Proportion of direct and indirect effects of a healthy lifestyle on multi-organ sequelae. b Association between corresponding pre-infection pathology and risk of sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Source: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50495-7
Based on a UK Biobank cohort of more than 68,000 people, the new study led by Dr Junqing Xie assessed the impact of various lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol intake, BMI, physical activity, sedentary time, sleep duration and dietary habits, on post-COVID complications, hospitalisation and death.
The study, published in Nature Communications and highlighted as an editor's highlight of recent “Public Health” studies, found that people with favorable lifestyles had a lower risk of hospitalization, a lower incidence of long-term or ongoing health problems affecting multiple parts of the body, and a reduced risk of death after COVID compared to those with unfavorable lifestyles.
The benefits of a healthy lifestyle were observed across all 10 organ systems, including cardiovascular, coagulation, metabolism, gastrointestinal, renal, mental health, musculoskeletal, respiratory disease and fatigue.
Importantly, the researchers found that adopting a healthy lifestyle not only reduced the risk of severe illness early in the infection but also conferred a direct protective effect against complications after COVID infection. The benefits of a healthy lifestyle were consistent regardless of disease severity, vaccination status, hospitalization, or SARS-CoV-2 variant.
“Our data serve as a compelling reminder to all of us that maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only increases resilience against many chronic diseases, but also improves our ability to cope with unwanted stressors like COVID-19,” said postdoctoral researcher and Distinguished Junior Investigator Dr. Junqing Xie.
The findings are consistent with previous research on the broader benefits of a healthy lifestyle on chronic disease prevention and longevity, but they also have relevance for preparing for future pandemics, providing patients, clinicians and policymakers with a clear roadmap for prioritizing prevention strategies that focus on modifiable lifestyle factors.
Further information: Yunhe Wang et al., “Modifiable lifestyle factors and risk of multiorgan sequelae, hospitalization, and death after COVID-19.” Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50495-7
Courtesy of University of Oxford
Source: Healthy lifestyle lowers risk of post-COVID complications, study finds (August 14, 2024) Retrieved August 14, 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-healthy-lifestyle-lowers-covid-complications.html
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