Malnutrition Alters COVID-19 Severity in Children and Adults, Study Finds
A large US study has found a clear link between malnutrition and the severity of COVID-19 in certain age groups. Researchers analysed hospital records from over 100,000 patients, revealing how poor nutrition affects illness outcomes differently in children and adults. The study examined medical records of 8,604 children and 94,495 adults hospitalised with COVID-19 between March and June 2019. Patients with a malnutrition diagnosis from 2015 to 2019 were compared to those without one.
Among 520 children with severe COVID-19, 39 (7.5%) had previously been diagnosed with malnutrition. For children under 5, however, malnutrition appeared to lower the odds of severe illness. Similarly, only 1.5% of the 7,959 children with mild cases had a history of malnutrition. In adults, the pattern shifted. Of 11,423 patients with severe COVID-19, 453 (4%) had a prior malnutrition diagnosis—more than double the rate seen in mild cases, where just 1.8% of 81,515 adults were malnourished. The risk of severe illness rose with age for those with malnutrition, particularly between 18 and 78. Yet, in adults aged 79 and above, malnutrition was linked to lower odds of severe COVID-19.
The findings suggest malnutrition worsens COVID-19 outcomes for children over 5 and adults under 79. Public health measures aimed at high-risk groups could help reduce severe cases in these populations. The study highlights the need for targeted nutritional support as part of pandemic response strategies.
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