People with mild to moderately obese body mass index (BMI) may be at a more severe risk of developing COVID-19. The study was publicized in the European Journal of Endocrinology.
According to a team of researchers, people with a BMI of more than 30 was associated with a drastically higher risk of the most severe symptoms of COVID-19, despite the gender or age.
The findings were determined after researchers examined nearly 500 patients diagnosed with COVID-19. In their study, they concluded that severe COVID-19 symptoms were more prevalent among patients with a BMI of more than 30.
“Our study showed that any grade of obesity is associated with severe COVID-19 illness and suggests that people with mild obesity should also be identified as a population at risk,” said Matteo Rottoli, co-author of the study.
“Our hypothesis is that Sars-CoV-2 infection outcomes depend on the metabolic profile of patients and that obesity, interlaced with diabetes and metabolic syndrome are involved too,” Rottoli concluded.
The new findings should induce caution among practitioners of the COVID-19 risk among people in any form of obesity.
