Bloodstream infections, known as sepsis, claim the lives of six million people worldwide each year. To determine risk factors for this condition, Norwegian researchers reviewed records of nearly 2,000 sepsis patients and found that smoking, obesity, and an inactive lifestyle are a significant threat for blood poisoning. When these factors are combined, individuals face nearly a five-times greater risk of sepsis than their non-smoking, normal-weight, and active peers.
International Journal of Epidemiology, October 2017