Covid-19 Linked to Greater Risk for Obese People

Severe infections may be more likely due to fat-altered immune response

Obesity causes several conditions in the body that worsen COVID-19's effects. Amani A/Shutterstock

As worldwide COVID-19-related deaths tip a quarter of a million, a concerning trend is surfacing in the medical literature: high rates of obesity in groups of patients with severe or life-threatening infection.

While a recent report from New York showed about 2 in every 5 COVID-19 patients requiring a breathing tube were obese, which is on par with population obesity rates, studies point to a greater risk for obese patients.