What kind of lifestyle factors play a role in the COVID-19 pandemic?
Lifestyle factors that may influence SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibility and COVID-19 severity include smoking, stress, diet and alcohol intake, among others. For example, smoking has been shown to increase the susceptibility to respiratory tract infections and its severity,266 and it is a risk factor for severe COVID-19.267 Moreover, alcohol consumption may impair anti-viral immunity;268 in vitro studies with human monocytes have shown that both acute and prolonged alcohol exposures inhibit type I IFN induction upon Toll-like receptor-8 and -4 stimulation269. Dietary habits may also play a role as obese patients have been shown to have a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.270 Furthermore, there are bioactive food compounds with antiviral activity, such as resveratrol,271 although the amount of them obtained through the diet is unlikely to play a relevant role in COVID-19.