Obese individuals are more likely to develop severe COVID-19 infections and have higher mortality rates, according to a new study. The research also suggests that obesity may increase the risk of contracting the virus. (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Obesity and age are transmission risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among exposed individuals
)
Obesity’s Role in COVID-19 Vulnerability
Masanori Aikawa and colleagues sought to determine if obesity also affected the likelihood of getting ill in the first place.
To investigate, the authors analyzed electronic medical records for 687,813 patients from the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, including 72,613 individuals with suspected SARS-CoV-2 exposure, 18,447 of whom tested positive.
The authors limited their data to a timeframe before vaccination became widespread in Massachusetts, to avoid the possible confounding factor of variable vaccine response.
The authors compared the likelihood of testing positive upon suspected exposure for obese individuals with that of non-obese individuals.
This pattern held across ages and sexes. According to the authors, this knowledge could help communities distribute resources toward individuals at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 positivity.
Reference:
- Obesity and age are transmission risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection among exposed individuals – (https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/3/8/pgae294/7736245?login=false)
Source-Eurekalert
