key: cord-0988833-rbkf58yn
authors: Boukelia, B.; S Alataibi, A. S.
title: The effect of BMI and physical activity levels on the duration of symptomatic days with Covid-19 infection
date: 2020-08-24
journal: nan
DOI: 10.1101/2020.08.21.20179499
sha: efcec2bf7b29ef276dc4b06b37575506fea2b27a
doc_id: 988833
cord_uid: rbkf58yn

Regular exercise is known to boost immunity, increase immune response to fight infection, as well as speeding up recovery times and healing processes. This study seeks to assess if exercising regularly pre- SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and/or BMI status has an effect on recovery time. A total of 215 people infected with COVD-19 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took part in this study (age 36 years, mass 72 kg, stature 166 cm). Only 10 patients were physically active and fulfil WHO physical activity requirement (Age 30 years, Mass 77 kg, Stature 176 cm). There was a significant difference in recovery time between active and inactive patients (P=0.00) with active patients recovery 2.7 times faster than inactive patients. Active patients showed a lower BMI level (p=0.043). Anthropometric measurement characteristics and the fitness level could be used in decision making scenarios for the estimation of the risk of complications in patients with COVID-19.

The rapid spread of the corona virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has sparked alarm 29 activity such as running, swimming, walking, and dancing (Nieman et al., 2011) . The 53 mechanism behind the moderate exercise protection against respiratory infection remain 54 debated. Nonetheless, there are several possible reasons to explain this, such as, an increase in 55 natural killer cells, neutrophils, and antibodies in the blood stream (Miles et al., 2002) . For each 56 bout of exercise, the human body mobilizes billions of immune cells types that are capable of 57 recognising and killing virus-infected cells. In addition, exercise also releases muscle-derived 58 cytokines which help to maintain immunity such as IL-6, IL-7, and IL-15. IL-6 has been shown 59 to mobilise immune cell to the infected area, while IL-7 helps to maintain the peripheral T-cell 60 and NK-cell compartments which assist to increase the human body resistance to infection 61 (Simpson, 2020). Furthermore, improved psychological well-being could be another possible 62 factor (emotional stress control). 63

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been reporting an average of 11.1 cases per 100,000 people 65 with a mortality rate of 0.91% (MOH 2020). WHO ranks the outbreak of COVID-19 at the 66 orange risk level (the second highest risk category) which means it is quickly spreading (WHO, 67 2020). A preventative measure for reducing the likelihood of this or future infections may be 68 found through increased activity and reduced obesity within the population. 69 Cohen's d was used to assess the size of the difference between two related sample. 99 All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. perpetuity. preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. . https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.21.20179499 doi: medRxiv preprint preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. perpetuity. preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. . https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.21.20179499 doi: medRxiv preprint

To date this is the first study to assess the effect that the level of physical activity and recovery 134 period on COVID-19 infected patients. Therefore, this study provides evidence-based insights 135 on the relationship between inactivity, higher BMI, and COVID-19 recovery time. Only 4% of 136 the patients in this study were physically active in either amateur sport or recreational physical 137 exercise that fulfil the WHO recommended level of activity requirement. A significant 138 difference in BMI between active and inactive patients were evident in this study and has been 139 shown to have a significant difference on the duration of recovery. the recovery period for the 140 found a significant inverse correlation between age and BMI, in which younger individuals that 157 All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. perpetuity. preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. . https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.21.20179499 doi: medRxiv preprint are overweight are least severely affected by COVID-19 (Kass et al., 2020). Saudi Arabia has 158 a rising obesity problem with approximately 40% of the total population categorised as obese 159 (Alqarni, 2016) . Therefore, this phenomenon may contribute to the fast spread and increased 160 symptom severity and/or duration of COVID-19; that would consequently greatly stress the 161 national health service. perpetuity. preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. perpetuity. preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. . https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.21.20179499 doi: medRxiv preprint perpetuity. preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in The copyright holder for this this version posted August 24, 2020. . https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.21.20179499 doi: medRxiv preprint

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