Stellantis issued a “do not drive” alert on Wednesday to owners of certain Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles, with the automaker warning people not to use the cars until defective air bags are replaced.
Stellantis said roughly 225,000 of its U.S. vehicles contain unrepaired air bags, according to an online notice posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The air bags were made were made by Takata, a Japanese automotive parts supplier.
“This action is intended to accelerate the repair of the remaining affected vehicles to safeguard owners, their families and the general public from the risk of serious injury or death,” Stellantis said in a statement. “Over time, the chemical propellant inside certain Takata inflators can degrade, particularly in hot and humid conditions, increasing the risk of rupture during airbag deployment and the potential for metal fragments to enter the vehicle cabin.”
“If you have one of these vehicles, do not drive it until the repair is completed and the defective air bag is replaced,” NHTSA said on its website.
Stellantis, based in the Netherlands, owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and several European car brands.
To date, 67 million defective Takata air bags have been recalled in what NHTSA previously referred to as “the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history.” The agency said at least 28 people have been killed and 400 injured by exploding Takata air bags.
“Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries,” the safety agency said in its notice on Wednesday.
NHTSA said vehicle owners can visit NHTSA.gov/Recalls to check if their vehicle is part of the recall.
Could a simple patch, inspired by the weight-loss drug Ozempic, really help you shed excess kilos without the pain and effort of an injection?
Promotions of these Ozempic-style, weight-loss patches are popping up online, promising dramatic results with little evidence to back their claims.
Personal recommendations for the patches are common. This includes from some “doctors” on social media. But independent fact checkers have shown these endorsements are AI-generated.
So, before you spend your money, here’s why you should think twice about buying a weight-loss patch.
What’s in them? Do they work?
Ozempic-style patches are also known as GLP-1 patches. But they do not contain any pharmaceutical ingredient from Ozempic (semaglutide) or related drugs such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide).
Instead, the Ozempic-style patches contain a mixture of herbal extracts including berberine, green tea (Camellia sinensis), the tropical fruit Garcinia cambogia and bitter orange (Citrus x aurantium L.).
There is some laboratory evidence that select compounds from berberine, the polyphenols in green tea extract and hydroxycitric acid from G. cambogia may have some effect. This includes suppressing appetite, lowering blood glucose (sugar) levels and playing a role in regulating fat metabolism to promote weight loss.
However, laboratory evidence doesn’t automatically translate to what happens in humans. In fact, recent evidence in humans shows these herbs have little effect on weight loss.
Let’s take berberine. Mostly, the evidence indicates that people who take it don’t lose a lot of weight. One scientific review showed that taking up to 3 grams daily for a year had only a small effect on weight and waist circumference.
Another review that analysed data from multiple studies found that up to 2.4g of green tea extract supplement daily for 13 weeks and more than 4g of G. cambogia daily for 17 weeks did not affect people’s weight.
For bitter orange extract, a daily dose of up to 54 milligrams of synephrine (a compound isolated from bitter orange extract) for eight weeks did not lead to weight loss.
It is important to note that all these studies are for oral formulations of herbal extracts, such as tablets or capsules, rather than for extracts delivered by patches.
Do they get through the skin?
Whether an extract in a weight-loss patch gets through the skin depends on how the extract was made.
Our skin is highly lipophilic, meaning it absorbs oily or fat-soluble chemicals, and blocks water-loving, or hydrophilic, substances.
So not all medicines can be delivered through the skin. Ozempic, for instance, is administered as an injection because the drug molecule in it is too big and water-loving to pass through the skin.
If the extracts in the patches are made using a water-based process, their ingredients are unlikely to pass through the skin and will simply sit inactive on your body until you remove the patch.
The next issue is that patches can only hold very little herbal extract. In the studies we discussed above, grams of material were needed to see any effect. In reality, Ozempic-style patches typically hold less than 0.1g of extract.
So, even if the ingredients get through the skin, these patches don’t contain enough to have any meaningful effect.
You can’t assume patches are safe
The Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates medical products in Australia, including herbal extracts.
For a herbal product to be permitted for sale in Australia, it must be listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. There are no Ozempic-style patches on the register.
This means the quality and safety of any patch you buy has not been assessed and cannot be guaranteed.
About the authors
Nial Wheate is a Professor, School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie University. Wai-Jo Jocelin Chan is a Pharmacist and Lecturer at UNSW Sydney; University of Sydney. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
An Australian study found instances where contamination with undeclared plant materials, heavy metals and prescription drugs, such as warfarin, have been reported in unregistered herbal products. These contaminants are dangerous because they can potentially be absorbed through the skin, then circulate around the body.
In a nutshell
While the idea of Ozempic-style weight-loss patches might seem appealing, they do not work, and their safety is far from guaranteed.
Instead of wasting your money, speak to your doctor or pharmacist who can recommend proven treatments for weight loss. They can provide safe and effective options tailored to help you reach your health goal.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is calling on Iran to stop its physical abuse and life-threatening treatment of Nobel peace laureate Narges Mohammadi, who has been imprisoned since December.
The committee said it had received “credible reports” of “life-threatening mistreatment” of Mohammadi, an activist arrested by plain-clothes agents while peacefully attending the funeral of the late human rights lawyer and advocate Khosrow Alikordi.
Mohammadi has been beaten by wooden sticks and batons and dragged across the ground by her hair, tearing sections of her scalp and causing open wounds, the committee said.
Ali and Kiana Rahmani, children of Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian human rights activist, attend the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 award ceremony, where they accept the award on behalf of their mother at Oslo City Hall, Norway on Dec. 10, 2023. (NTB/Javad Parsa via REUTERS )
Furthermore, she was repeatedly kicked in the genitals and pelvic region, leaving her unable to sit or move without severe pain and raising serious concerns of bone fracture, it said.
“The Committee is horrified by these acts, and reiterates that Ms. Mohammadi’s imprisonment is arbitrary and unjust,” committee Chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes said in a statement. “Her only ‘offence’ is the peaceful exercise of her fundamental rights – freedom of expression, association and assembly – in defence (sic) of women’s equality and human dignity.”
Ali Rahmani, son of Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian human rights activist, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2023, speaks after receiving the award on behalf of his mother at Oslo City Hall, Norway.(NTB/Fredrik Varfjell via REUTERS)
An Iranian prosecutor at the time of the arrest told reporters that Mohammadi made provocative remarks at the memorial ceremony in the northeastern city of Mashhad and encouraged those present “to chant norm‑breaking slogans” and “disturb the peace,” Reuters reported.
Mohammadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, has spent much of the last two decades in Iran’s infamous Evin prison.
The committee is calling on Tehran to release Mohammadi and guarantee her access to medical care.
The state tax building burned during Iran’s protests, on a street in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 19, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
“Mohammadi’s ordeal is yet another grim example of the brutal repression that has followed the mass protests in Iran, where countless women and men have risked their lives to demand freedom, equality and basic human rights,” it said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A judge on Wednesday kept former New York Jets first-round draft pick Darron Lee in jail without bond as he faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of his girlfriend in Tennessee.
The ruling by Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Tori Smith came after Lee was arrested and charged late last week. He also faces a charge of tampering with or fabricating evidence.
Lee is due back in court for a preliminary hearing March 9.
Authorities identified the victim in the case as Gabriella Perpétuo. The couple had been living in a home they rented where the incident occurred for about 10 days, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Detective Brian Lockhart testified Wednesday.
Lockhart said he was present during the autopsy and learned the potential manner of death is blunt force trauma homicide, though an autopsy report has not been released yet.
According to an arrest affidavit, first responders on Feb. 5 went to a home in the Chattanooga suburb of Ooltewah for a call of CPR in progress, where they found the woman already deceased.
Lee told deputies that the woman might have fallen in the shower, but according to the affidavit, there were extensive amounts of blood in different areas of the residence that were inconsistent with Lee’s statement.
Authorities carrying out a search warrant found multiple kinds of trauma to the woman’s body, including a stab wound to her abdomen, an apparent human bite mark on her shoulder, a large bruise on her head, black eyes with heavy swelling, and dried blood on her face and neck, according to the affidavit.
Lockhart testified that she also had a severe brain injury and a broken neck. She had more stab wounds on her legs while wearing pants without cut marks, suggesting the pants were put on afterward, Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp said.
Investigators also found alcohol, narcotics and a gun, the affidavit said.
The affidavit said Lee had a facial injury, lacerations on his hands, wounds on his chest and blood inside the case of his cellphone.
Crime scene detectives also identified blood that had been attempted to be cleaned in multiple areas of the house, in addition to cleaning supplies near where testing confirmed blood stains but no blood was visible, the affidavit said.
Wamp said the case is eligible for capital punishment, but prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.
“Mr. Lee was in a home with a female that was, for lack of a better term, beaten to death,” Wamp said in court, arguing for the judge to withhold bond. “And the explanation that he gave doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”
Wamp said Lee was on probation in Florida for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in one county and battery in another, and on probation in Ohio for attempted batteries.
Lee was represented at the hearing by deputy public defender Mike Little, who said in court that bond is often set for homicide or first-degree murder defendants, including those with prior felonies.
Responding to a request for comment from The Associated Press, Little said it is too early in the case for him to be making any statements.
Lee, 31, played 58 games with the Jets, Kansas City and Buffalo from 2016 through the 2020 seasons. The former Ohio State linebacker was the 20th pick in 2016 by the Jets. He was the defensive MVP of the 2015 Sugar Bowl.
Zayn Malik makes major statement on being ‘in love’ ex Gigi Hadid
Zayn Malik has opened up candidly about his long and complicated relationship with Gigi Hadid, admitting that while his feelings for her have always been strong, he now questions whether he was ever truly in love.
Speaking nearly five years after the former couple finally went their separate ways, the 33-year-old singer reflected on their on-and-off relationship, which lasted around five years and resulted in the birth of their daughter, Khai.
During a February 11 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Zayn was clear that his respect and affection for Gigi remain unwavering.
“To be fair, just to have this on the record, I will always love G, because she is the reason my child is on this Earth and I have the utmost respect for her,” he said.
“I will always love her, but I don’t know if I was in love with her.”
Zayn, who first began dating the supermodel in 2016, reiterated that although his feelings were intense, he now sees them differently.
“I do love her a crazy amount, but no, I don’t think I was in love with her at that point,” he said, adding that if he had been, he believes he would have shown up as a better version of himself.
Looking back, the former One Direction star acknowledged that his understanding of love has evolved with age.
He explained that at the time, he may have believed what he felt was love, but hindsight has brought clarity.
“My understanding of love is always developing,” Zayn shared.
“At that moment in time, I might have thought it was love, but as I got older I realised maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was lust. Maybe it was this, maybe it was that. I don’t feel like it was love.”
Zayn and Gigi, who share five-year-old Khai, split for good in 2021.
Gigi has since moved on and has been dating actor Bradley Cooper since 2023. For Zayn, life after high-profile relationships has brought unexpected peace.
He admitted that being single no longer scares him and, in fact, feels liberating.
With no ill will towards his past partners, including former fiancée Perrie Edwards, he said being on his own has allowed him to live entirely on his own terms.
He described the freedom of making his own plans, answering only to himself and even something as simple as sleeping whenever he wants as a positive change.
The singer also acknowledged his own mistakes, admitting he was young and sometimes crossed lines in past relationships.
He said he has learned from those experiences and that being single has removed the guilt that once followed him.
Zayn’s reflections paint a picture of growth and self-awareness, showing a man reassessing his past not with bitterness, but with honesty, maturity and continued respect for the mother of his child.
Virginia Democrats backed down from legislation that could have potentially revoked state funding for the Virginia Military Institute amid criticism from the Trump administration, VMI cadets and lawmakers in Congress.
Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly introduced House Bill 1377, which proposed a task force that could revoke state funding for the school. After scrutiny and controversy, an amended bill passed the Virginia House last Thursday that no longer grants authority to strip the historic military college of funding.
The legislation, which is now heading to the Virginia state Senate, still mandates an examination of the school’s policies, though state funding is no longer in jeopardy, according to the bill text.
“As a VMI cadet, the bill was amended so it no longer threatens the school’s state funding, and now it’s about an objective review,” cadet Michael Ferrara told Fox News Digital. “VMI isn’t perfect, but it pushes us to improve every day and judges people on character and performance.”
Republican critics, like Rep. Pat Fallon, have blamed Virginia’s new Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger and “far-left” agendas for targeting the historic institution.(Win McNamee/Getty Images; Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Ferrara was joined by cadet Devin Auzenne, who serves as a regimental commander, in celebrating the bill’s changes.
“The amendments to House Bill 1377 are reassuring as a current cadet that the institution that has provided me once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and transformed me into a man of character will continue to have its doors open,” Auzenne told Fox.
“It is my hope that the commonwealth and those external to VMI will come to see what I have learned from firsthand experience, that VMI is an inclusive environment that views its cadets by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin,” Auzenne added.
Virginia Democrats also introduced House Bill 1374, which would have originally dissolved VMI’s Board of Visitors and handed control of the college’s board to Virginia State University. In the wake of scrutiny, the bill was scrapped and substituted to restructure the board, rather than dissolve it.
Last week, the Department of War issued a statement bashing the bill, saying the department would consider “extraordinary measures to protect the integrity of VMI.”
“The Department of War is monitoring Virginia House Bill 1374, focused on the governance of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), with significant concern,” department spokesperson Sean Parnell posted to X. “For generations, the unique military environment at VMI has made the Institute a vital source of commissioned officers for the Armed Forces.”
VMI cadets celebrated changes made to legislation that could previously strip funding and threaten the survival of the historic military college.(Courtesy of VMI)
“The stability of this proven leadership pipeline is a matter of direct national security interest and any action that could disrupt the ecosystem requires our full attention,” Parnell continued. “DoW reserves the right to take extraordinary measures to protect the integrity of VMI and our commitment to the cadets and midshipmen currently training there remains steadfast.”
In Washington, lawmakers in Congress pointed to newly-elected Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger as the culprit behind the “far-left” push to dismantle VMI.
“Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. “Spanberger and far-left Democrats have been rightfully exposed in wanting to make VMI the latest target in their anti-American crusade to bring communism to the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Fallon sits on the House Armed Services Committee, responsible for military oversight and policy related to national defense and military service members.
The Corps of Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) march during an inauguration ceremony for Gov. Abigail Spanberger at Capitol Square in Richmond on Jan. 17, 2026.(Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“If they truly hold the country’s best interest at heart, Democrats should be on board with President Trump and Republicans’ successful efforts to strengthen our military,” Fallon continued. “Instead, they showed they are once again willing to kowtow to the radical left’s agenda that seeks to undermine historic institutions such as VMI, which has produced proven leaders and statesmen such as George C. Marshall, Mike Waltz, and CJCS Gen. Dan Caine. This is welcome news for America that Virginia Democrats have abandoned, for now, their efforts to cut funding for VMI.”
In 2021, Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam authorized a state-led review of VMI following complaints of racial and gender bias linked to the school’s diversity policies. The probe unfolded during the first year of the Biden administration, a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion programs were rapidly expanding in higher education and the private sector.
After assuming office, Spanberger made Northam one of her early appointments by naming him to VMI’s Board of Visitors, a move that sparked backlash from GOP lawmakers and critics of the now-amended Democratic-led legislation.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed former Gov. Ralph Northam to VMI’s Board of Visitors.(Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The school was founded in 1839, making it the oldest state-funded military college in the country.
“My two roommates, they look nothing like me, come from completely different places, worship different gods,” cadet Devin Auzenne told Fox News Digital in January.
“My roommates, including Mike, who [was my] rat roommate, are the people who I can call my brothers, my family, my friends, and anytime I ever need them, they’ll always be here for me,” Auzenne added.
The restaurant sector has spent the past 18 months trying to figure out how to reach consumers in a hypercompetitive and uneven economy. McDonald’shas doubled down on value messaging to customers via Extra Value Meals and Snack Wraps, which boosted its sales in the fourth quarter.
On Wednesday the company reported better-than-expected sales and delivered beats on the top and bottom lines, driven by buzzy promotions and value offerings.
“By listening to customers and taking action, we have improved traffic and strengthened our value & affordability scores,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement.
But the focus on value has caused frustrations at times among parts of the chain’s operator base.
The company rolled out new franchise standards for McDonald’s operators on Jan. 1, including assessing locations on how their prices deliver value. McDonald’s said its owners are still able to set their own prices, but the standards nonetheless shape and define how franchisees — which operate 95% of McDonald’s restaurants — run their stores.
A cohort of operators is standing ground in their ability to continue to independently set prices.
The National Owners Association, an independent franchisee advocate group, adopted a Franchisee Bill of Rights in August and circulated it in an email to members last month as the standards took effect, according to a copy of the message viewed by CNBC.
The last of the bill’s rights is the “right to set prices without fear of recourse,” which says, “Franchisees, as independent Owner/Operators, have the right to set menu prices for their restaurants based on their own business judgment and market conditions. This right exists irrespective of the pricing decisions of any national, regional, or local co-op or franchisor initiative. Franchisees must be free to manage their pricing strategy without fear of intimidation, or diminished support from McDonald’s or its affiliated entities.”
It also lists the “right to renewal and transfer,” giving owners the “absolute right to a fair and reasonable opportunity to renew franchise agreements … subject only to objective, clearly stated standards of approval.”
In December, McDonald’s told operators it would begin value assessments as part of its updates to franchising standards. Continued noncompliance could result in penalties or even termination.
At the time, the company said its new standards would provide “greater clarity … to ensure every restaurant delivers consistent, reliable value across the full customer experience,” according to a memo reviewed by CNBC.
In a statement, McDonald’s told CNBC that the business model creates the opportunity for entrepreneurs to be in business “for themselves, but never by themselves,” adding, “As franchisor, we have a responsibility to protect the strength and integrity of the brand and ensure every Owner/Operator upholds the standards that make McDonald’s so successful, for the benefit of all. This includes showing up for customers with great value – a core expectation the majority of our franchisees understand and proudly deliver.”
Some operators bristled at the changes in recent Wall Street research. In a two-part survey of 20 McDonald’s operators released last month, Kalinowski Equity Research wrote that it asked franchisee contacts if they were in favor of the changes to national franchising standards. For context, McDonald’s said it has some 2,000 owner/operators in the U.S. franchise system.
“As it turns out, every single one of the franchisees who responded to this question said ‘No.’ This is the first time in the 20+ year history of our McDonald’s Franchisee Survey that all respondents to a Yes-or-No question have all provided the exact same answer,” Kalinowski wrote.
Kalinowski also had operators quantify their relationship with McDonald’s corporate arm on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent. The average response received was 1.37, a “pretty noticeable step down from the October 2025 average response of 1.71,” the survey said.
Still, McDonald’s stock was one of the better performers in an abysmal year for the restaurant sector in 2025, rising 5%.
Kalinowski’s respondents also rated their business outlook for the next six months on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor and 5, excellent. The average response was 2.58, the best in the 11 quarters. Last quarter, CEO Chris Kempczinski said full-year cash flow was set to be solid for operators at the same time value investments were being made.
“Throughout the quarter, McDonald’s seems to be doing a better general job of promoting value to quick-service consumers, or at least it’s doing so notably better than some other large, quick-service burger concepts are,” Kalinowski wrote.
Likewise, fellow firm BTIG recently upgraded the stock.
“We expect the change in value strategy and perception to lead to the most meaningful earnings growth for the company since 2023,” BTIG wrote.
Nio cars are seen displayed at Nio House, at the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker’s manufacturing hub in Hefei, Anhui province, China April 2, 2025.
Florence Lo | Reuters
DETROIT — The largest U.S. auto dealer isn’t interested in selling vehicles from China-based brands domestically right now, its CEO said Wednesday.
But it’s not necessarily because of politics, logistics or potential consumer backlash, according to Lithia Motors CEO Bryan DeBoer. His company already has at least 10 stores selling vehicles from three Chinese companies in the United Kingdom.
DeBoer, who has grown Lithia exponentially in recent years, said the potential cost, return-on-investment and needed infrastructure, largely due to franchise rules in the U.S., are the biggest hindrances right now.
“We’re quite excited that we’ve got that opportunity in the United Kingdom, but there’s a big fundamental difference,” DeBoer told investors Wednesday, citing “dueling of franchises” practices in the U.K. that allow Lithia to offer brands from different companies in the same showroom if they’re deemed competitors.
DeBoer said the dealer can be allowed to put vehicles from a company such as China’s Chery Automobile, which is growing in Europe, into an existing showroom in the UK, and it would cost less than $100,000.
That’s not the case for the U.S., where franchised dealer laws are strict, vary by state and companies can have more influence in, if not rules against, such decisions.
His comments come as Chinese automotive brands are increasingly exporting and expanding outside of their home market.
Global market share for Chinese brands has jumped nearly 70% in five years, and many experts see a threat to U.S. automakers, including the anticipated entrance of Chinese brands into America. There have been China-produced vehicles on sale in the U.S. from brands such as Buick and Volvo, but none are from Chinese brands such as BYD, Nio or others.
In the U.S., Lithia would need to establish new retail locations and service operations to support sales of Chinese brands, which would mean having to make completely new investments. He noted that roughly 50% to 60% of the company’s profits come from service and parts.
“I think we would probably not be early adopters when it comes to the United States or possibly even Canada, primarily because we’re usually not in a dual franchise situation,” he said.
China’s most recent announced expansion is to Canada, a relatively small vehicle market that removed 100% tariffs on imported vehicles from China amid a trade dispute with the Trump administration.
But DeBoer said the Oregon-based company isn’t completely shutting the door, as Chinese brands continue to grow globally.
“We do have building relationships with a number of Chinese brands,” he said. “We’ll keep our minds open and look at what the opportunities that present us in the future.”
DeBoer comments occurred on the company’s call to discuss its fourth-quarter and year-end earnings, which included annual increases of 4% in revenue and 3.1% in gross profit.
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to discuss an increase of colon cancer in people under 50 despite overall lowering cancer deaths and a new study linking obesity to vascular dementia.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Obesity may be a contributing factor in more than 10% of infection-related deaths, a new study reveals.
The researchers analyzed medical data from nearly 550,000 adults in Finland and the U.K. over a 14-year period, finding that obese patients were 70% more likely to be hospitalized with or die from an infection.
The Finnish patients averaged 42 years of age, while the average age of U.K. patients was 57. Obesity was defined by a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or above.
Those with “class 3 obesity,” which is a BMI of 40 or higher, were three times more likely to be hospitalized for infection, death or either outcome compared to those with a healthy BMI (between 18.5 and 24.9), according to a study press release.
Based on risk calculations, the researchers estimated that obesity played a role in about 9% of infection-related deaths in 2018, about 15% in 2021 and about 11% in 2023.
Obesity may be a contributing factor in more than 10% of infection-related deaths, a new study reveals.(iStock)
The association was even seen in obese people who did not have diabetes, heart disease or metabolic syndrome. The amount of physical activity also did not appear to affect the link.
The study, which was published in The Lancet, looked at prevalence of 925 bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal infectious diseases, including flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection and lower respiratory tract infections.
Nearly all types of infection were linked to higher risk of obesity in terms of poor outcomes, the researchers found.
“People may not get infected more easily, but recovery from infection is clearly harder.”
“Obesity is well-known as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many other chronic conditions,” said the study’s lead author, Professor Mika Kivimaki of the Faculty of Brain Sciences at University College London, in a press release.
“Here, we have found robust evidence that obesity is also linked to worse outcomes from infectious diseases, as becoming very ill from an infection is markedly more common among people with obesity.”
The conditions that were most strongly associated with obesity were skin and soft-tissue infections.
Professor Kivimaki added, “Our findings suggest that obesity weakens the body’s defenses against infections, resulting in more serious diseases. People may not get infected more easily, but recovery from infection is clearly harder.”
Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that up to 11% of infection-related deaths globally could be prevented by addressing obesity.
Those with “class 3 obesity,” which is a BMI of 40 or higher, were three times more likely to be hospitalized for infection, death or either outcome.(iStock)
Those who were initially obese and then lost weight reduced their risk of severe infections by around 20%, the study found.
“As obesity rates are expected to rise globally, so will the number of deaths and hospitalisations from infectious diseases linked to obesity,” first author Dr. Solja Nyberg at the University of Helsinki commented in the press release.
“To reduce the risk of severe infections, as well as other health issues linked with obesity, there is an urgent need for policies that help people stay healthy and support weight loss, such as access to affordable healthy food and opportunities for physical activity.”
She also emphasized the importance of obese people staying up to date with their vaccinations.
“To reduce the risk of severe infections, as well as other health issues linked with obesity, there is an urgent need for policies that help people stay healthy and support weight loss, such as access to affordable healthy food and opportunities for physical activity,” one researcher said.(iStock)
The study did have some limitations, primarily that it only shows a strong link between obesity and infection severity, but doesn’t prove causation, the researchers noted.
There is also some debate surrounding the reliability of BMI as a definition of obesity.
