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Obese people needed in COVID-19 clinical trials despite prior research showing some vaccines aren't as effective on this body type

Researchers are calling for volunteers from all backgrounds to do COVID-19 vaccine trials

MEMPHIS, Tenn — Studies have shown people who are obese have a lower chance of a vaccine being effective for them. The US National Library of Medicine published a study explaining "obesity may interfere with an obese individual’s ability to mount an effective immune response to vaccination or an infection due to increased body fat and the increased production of leptin." 

Obesity is one of the high-risk categories for COVID-19 among other health issues. Memphis physician Dr. Jeff Warren explained some vaccines that have not been as effective on obese people include Hepatitis B, tetanus, rabies, and even some flu vaccines. 

With the COVID-19 vaccine trials beginning, Warren said it will be critical to have people who are obese included so proper treatment can be found.

"That makes it all the more reason that you should probably get your shot because you’re going to need whatever help you can get even if it’s not as good as what everybody else gets," Warren said. 

Just because an obese person might not respond as well to a vaccine does not mean it will not help them. Warren explained we will not know how effective it will be until we start seeing results from the trials. 

"I bet that vaccine is more effective in that obese patient than it is in another obese patient without a COVID vaccine," Warren said.

The US Department of Health and Human Resources found African American women top the charts for obesity with 4 out of 5 of them being obese or overweight. Other studies, such as APM Research Labs, found 1 in 1,125 African Americans have died from COVID-19 in the US, making them the most vulnerable population to the virus. 

However, Dr. Warren explains obesity can affect all backgrounds and regions differently. 

"It’s got to do with what you are eating, what your choices of food are, and that’s cultural," Warren said. 

A recent Pew Research study found 57 percent of African American adults believe the risks of expanding the experimental treatments for COVID-19 outweigh the benefits. Furthermore, the study found "a little over half of black adults (54%) say they would definitely or probably get a coronavirus vaccine if one were available today, while 44% say they would not."

Until the vaccine is completed, medical experts need everyone to try it, so we can be closer to ending this pandemic.  

"When the vaccine comes into play the more of us that try it the more of us that give them data the safer we are going to know it is and the sooner we will be able to get it out for everyone," Warren said. 

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