Obesity as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19: Summary of the Best Evidence and Implications for Health Care.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
To collate the best evidence from several strands-epidemiological, genetic, comparison with historical data and mechanistic information-and ask whether obesity is an important causal and potentially modifiable risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes.


RECENT FINDINGS
Several hundred studies provide powerful evidence that body mass index (BMI) is a strong linear risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes, with recent studies suggesting ~5-10% higher risk for COVID-19 hospitalisation per every kg/m2 higher BMI. Genetic data concur with hazard ratios increasing by 14% per every kg/m2 higher BMI. BMI to COVID-19 links differ markedly from prior BMI-infection associations and are further supported as likely causal by multiple biologically plausible pathways. Excess adiposity appears to be an important, modifiable risk factor for adverse COVID-19 outcomes across all ethnicities. The pandemic is also worsening obesity levels. It is imperative that medical systems worldwide meet this challenge by upscaling investments in obesity prevention and treatments.
['Sattar|Naveed|N|http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1604-2593', 'Valabhji|Jonathan|J|']
D050154:Adiposity D015992:Body Mass Index D000086382:COVID-19 D015897:Comorbidity D003695:Delivery of Health Care D006801:Humans D009765:Obesity D058873:Pandemics D012307:Risk Factors D000086402:SARS-CoV-2 D012720:Severity of Illness Index
Genetics Body mass Index Activity Diet Epidemiology Multimorbidity