<p>Obesity has been a known risk factor for Covid-19 infection. And now a study reveals, that severely obese people may have a significantly weaker immune response to Covid vaccination compared to those with normal weight.</p>.<p>Obesity is complicating the course of Covid-19 and affecting the vaccine's antibody response in people with obesity.</p>.<p>Vaccines against influenza, hepatitis B and rabies, have also shown reduced responses in people with obesity, said researchers from Istanbul University in Turkey.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/even-mild-covid-19-may-impair-fertility-in-men-iit-bombay-study-1099722.html">Even mild Covid-19 may impair fertility in men: IIT-Bombay Study</a></strong></p>.<p>However, the findings presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) being held in the Netherlands also found that people with severe obesity (BMI of more than 40kg/m2) vaccinated with Pfizer's mRNA vaccine generated significantly more antibodies than those vaccinated with China's CoronaVac (inactivated SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. The team said it suggests that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine might be a better choice for this vulnerable population.</p>.<p>To find out more, researchers investigated antibody responses following Pfizer/BioNTech and CoronaVac vaccination in 124 adults (average age 42-63 years) with severe obesity between August and November 2021.</p>.<p>They also recruited a control group of 166 normal-weight adults (BMI less than 25kg/m2, average age 39-47 years).</p>.<p>Overall, 130 participants received two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech and 160 participants two doses of CoronaVac, of whom 70 had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection.</p>.<p>In those without previous Covid infection and vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels more than three times lower than normal-weight controls.</p>.<p>Similarly, in participants with no prior Covid infection and vaccinated with CoronaVac, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels 27 times lower than normal-weight controls.</p>.<p>Interestingly, the analyses found that in patients with severe obesity, with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody levels in those vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech were significantly higher than those vaccinated with CoronaVac.</p>.<p>"These results provide new information on the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in people with severe obesity and reinforce the importance of prioritising and increasing vaccine uptake in this vulnerable group," said Professor Volkan Demirhan Yumuk from the varsity.</p>.<p>"Our study confirms that immune memory induced by prior infection alters the way in which people respond to vaccination and indicates that two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may generate significantly more antibodies than CoronaVac in people with severe obesity, regardless of infection history," Yumuk added.</p>.<p>However, he pressed the need for further research to determine whether these higher antibody levels provide greater protection against Covid-19.</p>
<p>Obesity has been a known risk factor for Covid-19 infection. And now a study reveals, that severely obese people may have a significantly weaker immune response to Covid vaccination compared to those with normal weight.</p>.<p>Obesity is complicating the course of Covid-19 and affecting the vaccine's antibody response in people with obesity.</p>.<p>Vaccines against influenza, hepatitis B and rabies, have also shown reduced responses in people with obesity, said researchers from Istanbul University in Turkey.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/even-mild-covid-19-may-impair-fertility-in-men-iit-bombay-study-1099722.html">Even mild Covid-19 may impair fertility in men: IIT-Bombay Study</a></strong></p>.<p>However, the findings presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) being held in the Netherlands also found that people with severe obesity (BMI of more than 40kg/m2) vaccinated with Pfizer's mRNA vaccine generated significantly more antibodies than those vaccinated with China's CoronaVac (inactivated SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. The team said it suggests that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine might be a better choice for this vulnerable population.</p>.<p>To find out more, researchers investigated antibody responses following Pfizer/BioNTech and CoronaVac vaccination in 124 adults (average age 42-63 years) with severe obesity between August and November 2021.</p>.<p>They also recruited a control group of 166 normal-weight adults (BMI less than 25kg/m2, average age 39-47 years).</p>.<p>Overall, 130 participants received two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech and 160 participants two doses of CoronaVac, of whom 70 had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection.</p>.<p>In those without previous Covid infection and vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels more than three times lower than normal-weight controls.</p>.<p>Similarly, in participants with no prior Covid infection and vaccinated with CoronaVac, patients with severe obesity had antibody levels 27 times lower than normal-weight controls.</p>.<p>Interestingly, the analyses found that in patients with severe obesity, with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody levels in those vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech were significantly higher than those vaccinated with CoronaVac.</p>.<p>"These results provide new information on the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in people with severe obesity and reinforce the importance of prioritising and increasing vaccine uptake in this vulnerable group," said Professor Volkan Demirhan Yumuk from the varsity.</p>.<p>"Our study confirms that immune memory induced by prior infection alters the way in which people respond to vaccination and indicates that two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may generate significantly more antibodies than CoronaVac in people with severe obesity, regardless of infection history," Yumuk added.</p>.<p>However, he pressed the need for further research to determine whether these higher antibody levels provide greater protection against Covid-19.</p>