The Young Age and Plant-Based Diet Hypothesis for Low SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Since the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that caused the coronavirus disease-19 , in December 2019, the infection has spread around the globe. Some of the risk factors include social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing with soap, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and dysbiosis. Evidence has shown the incidence of total infection and death rates to be lower in sub-Saharan Africa when compared with North Africa, Europe and North America and many other parts of the world. The higher the metabolic syndrome rate, the higher the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Africa has a lower rate of metabolic syndrome risk than many other continents. This paradox has puzzled several in the biomedical and scientific communities. Published results of research have demonstrated the exciting correlation that the combination of young age of the population coupled with their native plantbased diet has lowered their risk factors. The plant-based diet include whole grains (millet, sorghum), legumes (black-eye peas, dry beans, soybean), vegetables, potato, sweet potato, yams, squash, banana, pumpkin seeds, and moringa leaves, and lower consumption of meat. The plant-based diet results in a different gut microbiota than of most of the rest of the world. This has a significant impact on the survival rate of other populations. The "plant-based diet" results in lower rates of obesity, diabetes and dysbiosis, which could contribute to lower and less severe infections. However, these hypotheses need to be supported by more clinical and biostatistics data.

Predicting global diet-disease relationships at the atomic level: a COVID-19 case study

“…Such conversations will become ever more important as the search for treatments against SARS-CoV-2 continues and the world seeks to prepare for post-pandemic normality. Already, evidence linking plant-rich diets with protective effects against COVID-19 is mounting [ 3 , 4 ]. Deficiencies in certain vitamins and micronutrients have also been associated with increased COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality, and the applicability of these nutrients as interventional strategies may become clearer as more data is collected from ongoing clinical trials [ 2 ].…”

“…Food compounds with biological activities in addition to their nutritional properties are generally considered safer for consumption than synthetic pharmaceutical drugs and have been receiving renewed interest in recent years as templates for drug design in light of genomic and technological advances [ 1 ]. Emerging evidence for the apparent protective effects of certain dietary practices and nutritional status on COVID-19 susceptibility and recovery further highlight the potential biological importance of antiviral and other bioactive food compounds [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Indeed, food-derived polyphenols have demonstrated antagonistic properties against SARS-CoV, which was the culprit behind the 2003 SARS outbreak, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and other viruses [ 5 , 6 , 7 ].…”

Sustainable Consumption in Consumer Behavior in the Time of COVID-19: Topic Modeling on Twitter Data Using LDA

“…A vegan diet is rapidly gaining consumer acceptance [104]. Interest in this topic during the COVID-19 pandemic may be due to the results of some studies suggesting that a plant-based diet may help reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 [105,106]. Such diet results, among others, in lower obesity rates, diabetes, and dysbiosis, which could lead to lower and less serious infections, including COVID-19 disease [106].…”

“…Interest in this topic during the COVID-19 pandemic may be due to the results of some studies suggesting that a plant-based diet may help reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 [105,106]. Such diet results, among others, in lower obesity rates, diabetes, and dysbiosis, which could lead to lower and less serious infections, including COVID-19 disease [106]. The fourth topic is related to sustainable tourism, i.e., tourism that takes into consideration its present and future economic, social, and environmental impacts [107].…”

Factors Modulating COVID-19: A Mechanistic Understanding Based on the Adverse Outcome Pathway Framework

“…Diet. Dietary patterns, such as the “Mediterranean” or the “Western” diet, as well as certain foods, are proposed to impact COVID-19 prognosis and account—at least partially—for regional differences in death rates [ 71 , 72 , 73 ]. Epidemiological analyses highlighted a role for diet in disease prognosis in some cases.…”