Obesity's Influence on Mortality in Patients with COVID-19

Nearly half of the adult U.S. population is classified as obese (body-mass index [BMI], ≥30 kg/m²) and almost 10% are classified as severely obese (BMI, ≥40 kg/m²); observational studies have suggested that obesity is associated with worse outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Two new studies address this association.

The first study included nearly 2500 patients (mean age, 67; 49% Hispanic) hospitalized with COVID-19 at two New York City hospitals. Analysis adjusted for demographic factors and medical comorbidities showed that obese patients, compared with overweight patients, had significantly higher risk for the composite outcome of intubation or death at 45 days (hazard ratio, 1.6). The association of obesity with adverse outcomes was seen…