A higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased risks for hospitalization and death due to severe infectious respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, a new study involving over 470,000 patients suggests.
The BMI is a tool used to estimate the amount of body fat based on the patient’s height and weight. In their study, scientists at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom found that for every 10 units increase in BMI, there is an elevated risk for severe COVID-19 (hazard ratio 2.26), lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs, hazard ratio 1.74), and severe upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs, hazard ratio 1.37).
