Study looks at relationship between obesity and COVID-19 severity

A recent study, published in the journal Obesity, identified “a high frequency of obesity among patients admitted in intensive care for [COVID-19].” The authors also note that individuals with a higher BMI tended to experience more severe symptoms.

The researchers collated information on 124 individuals admitted to intensive care units for COVID-19. They classified more than three-quarters of these patients as having either obesity or severe obesity.

Overall, they conclude, “Obesity is a risk factor for SARS‐CoV‐2 severity, requiring increased attention to preventive measures in susceptible individuals.”