Dengue Severity Elevated in Obese Children, New Study Warns 

Dengue Severity Elevated in Obese Children, New Study Warns. Credit | Wikimedia Commons
Dengue Severity Elevated in Obese Children, New Study Warns. Credit | Wikimedia Commons

United States: Obese kids infected with dengue are  more likely to suffer severe illness requiring hospitalization, a new study warns. 

As reported by HealthDay, An analysis of nearly 5,000 mosquito bite infected which is also called dengue, Sri Lankan children found that weight plays a powerful role in the severity of the mosquito-related health problem. Researchers reported in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases that kids with higher BMIs had higher hospitalization rates than those who weighed less.  

Public Health Warning 

The heaviest children, classified as clinically obese, were found to be twice as likely to be hospitalized as the rest. 

The heaviest children which means who are obese were twice likely to be the hospitalized as the rest shows the results. 

Dengue Severity Elevated in Obese Children, New Study Warns. Credit | Adobe Stock
Dengue Severity Elevated in Obese Children, New Study Warns. Credit | Adobe Stock

“With the increase in obesity in many countries, it would be important to create awareness and educate the public of the potential risks related to the  obesity and risk of severe disease and hospitalization from dengue,” said senior researcher Dr.Neelika Malavige who is  a professor of immunology and molecular medicine at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Sri Lanka. 

Rising Dengue Cases and Warnings 

The study comes week after the health officials in the Florida Keys issued a dengue alert in the following two confirmed cases of the infectious disease there and the U.S. Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention has already issued a nationwide advisory about an increased risk of the dengue infections in the United States. 

Global Impact 

The very important thing to highlight is that this dengue has reached a historic high of more than almost 6.5 million cases and more than 7,300 deaths worldwide in the year 2023 said the researchers. 

And the world this time is to break the record once again said the researchers and it’s almost about 10 million  cases had already been reported by the end of the June. 

And reports said that 4 in 5 people need hospitalizations which involves children younger than 5 said the researchers. 

Symptoms and Awareness 

Dengue is oftenly referred to as “break bone fever” because it causes the fever accompanied by the severe joint, bone and muscle pain said the researchers. 

This can also cause to some symptoms like nausea, vomiting and rash and these symptoms typically begin within two weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito.