Obesity raises COVID-19 severity risk in under 60s

Obesity plays a critical role in the severity of COVID-19 among the under 60s, researchers have said.

Data published from a New York research team has shown that among those aged under 60, obesity was twice as likely to result in being admitted to hospital for coronavirus.

The findings also suggested that being obese significantly increased the likelihood that the person would end up in intensive care too.

In a letter published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, Dr Jennifer Lighter, from the New York University School of Medicine, said: “Obesity [in people < 60 years] appears to be a previously unrecognised risk factor for hospital admission and need for critical care.

“This has important and practical implications when nearly 40% of adults in the US are obese with a body mass index [BMI] of ≥ 30.”

Her findings were based on health data collected from 3,615 people who tested positive for COVID-19. Of that number, 775 (21%) had a body mass index (BMI) 30-34, and 595 (16% of the total cohort) had a BMI >35.

There were 1,853 (51%) patients discharged from the emergency department, 1,331 (37%) were admitted to the hospital in acute care and 431 (12%) were either directly admitted or transferred to the ICU during admission.

The research team say they found a “significant difference in admission and ICU care only in patients <60 years of age with varying BMIs”.

People aged <60 years with a BMI between 30-34 were 2.0 (95% 1.6-2.6, p<0.0001) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.2-2.7, p=0.006) times more likely to be admitted to acute and critical care, respectively, compared to individuals with a BMI <30.

Likewise, people with a BMI >35 and aged <60 were 2.2 (95% CI 1.7-2.9, p<.0001) and 3.6 (95% CI 2.5-5.3, p=<.0001) times more likely to be admitted to acute and critical care compared to patients in the same age category who had BMI <30.

To read the published letter, click here.

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