Obesity: A risk factor of severity in patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a growing problem around the world, and even more so in the Western population. At present, two different pandemics collided, an Eastern-infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 known as Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and a slow-growing pandemic of chronic diseases related to the ways of living in the West, which has brought significant consequences on an international level. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate body mass index (BMI) as a risk factor for the severity of COVID-19. Materials and Methods: The factors that were considered as high severity for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were: > 15 days of hospital stay, need for intubation, and/or death. The patients were organized into two groups according to their BMI; their comorbidities were identified, and associated to the severity of their COVID-19 infection. Results: Ninety-two percent of hospitalized patients presented one or more comorbidities; therefore, it is suggested that this is one of the main risk factors for dying or presenting high severity in the event of an infection. Conclusions: Although the odds ratio showed two-fold increased odds of a negative outcome in the presence of a BMI >- 25 kg/m2, this was not statistically significant. The recommendation of a BMI < 25 kg/m2 in adults could be used as a public health measure to avoid high severity and death in patients with COVID-19.

Keywords

• Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Coronavirus disease-19. Obesity. Intubation. Death.