Some doctors are now saying that obesity is a significant risk factor associated with COVID-19 complications.

Over 40% of adults in the United States are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health care professionals and some first responders say that getting in shape is important now more than ever.

“They’ve always been talking about patients with diabetes, heart disease and the elderly. But one of the major risk-factors that we are witnessing is obesity and that really needs to be taken very seriously,” says Dr. Deena Adimoolam.

Adimoolam is an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai hospital in New York City. She says that over 50% of patients on ventilators being treated for COVID-19 at the hospital are obese and often need assistance breathing for longer.

“We shouldn’t just be paying attention to this now. We should be paying attention to this for a very long time and those who do have these underlying medication problems should seek out care and try to get the treatment to help,” she says.

As gyms and fitness clubs across the state remain closed due to the pandemic, New Jerseyans are looking for other ways to get in shape.

Anthony Andretta is a Point Pleasant volunteer firefighter. He sent a letter to state legislators requesting that gyms be reopened on an appointment basis to allow first responders to work out so that they are able to maintain strength and stamina as required by their job and to help strengthen their immune systems.

“I tried to find alternative solutions and those were cut off for me as well,” Andretta says. “The firehouse has a gym. We were using that for the first couple of weeks after the local gyms were shut down. And now because the fire department wants to comply with social guidelines, we’ve closed those as well.”

Health care professionals say that there are other ways for people to get in shape even though gyms are closed. There are online fitness classes available, plus people can go outside for a walk or a run. They should just remember to maintain a safe social distance.