Covid-19 patients who maintained a healthy lifestyle spent less time in the hospital, a UAE government study has shown.
Researchers at Abu Dhabi Department of Health studied more than 1,038 patients and found that people who followed a healthy diet, exercised and did not smoke spent fewer days in hospital after contracting the virus.
“The study has proven that adopting a healthy lifestyle contributes to boosting the body’s immunity system and strengthening its ability to fight and recover from diseases, in general, and complications associated with Covid-19, in particular,” said Sumaya Al Ameri, section head of complaints in healthcare quality at the department.
“Our advice is to adopt a healthy diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, low processed foods, high vitamins and minerals.
“People should exercise on a regular basis, get adequate sleep and avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking.
“It is still not clear why some people are more prone to getting infected with the virus than others, but this study proved that there is a strong correlation between a healthy diet and the length of stay at the hospital.
“Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial, especially during this time when the immune system needs to be strong to fight back the virus.”
The study was carried out on patients between aged 18 to 60.
The World Health Organisation has also advised people to eat healthy and stay hydrated to fight infections, including the coronavirus.
“People who eat a well-balanced diet tend to be healthier with stronger immune systems and lower risk of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases,” the WHO says on its website.
“So you should eat a variety of fresh and unprocessed foods every day to get the vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, protein and antioxidants your body needs. Drink enough water.
“Avoid sugar, fat and salt to significantly lower the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.”
