Obesity as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19: Summary of the Best Evidence and Implications for Health Care.
Curr Obes Rep
; 10(3): 282-289, 2021 Sep.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1349364
ABSTRACT
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.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Severity of Illness Index
/
Body Mass Index
/
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
/
Obesity
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Curr Obes Rep
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S13679-021-00448-8
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS