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Obesity and COVID-19 Outcomes:A Risk Factor that Needs Attention


Affiliations
1 Department of Medicine, Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore 575 018,, India
2 Department of Community Medicine, Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore 575 018,, India
 

Obesity, a comorbidity not well documented in the COVID-19 pandemic, is now being identified as a risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection, including in those less than 60 years of age. We discuss parallels of increased severity, prolonged viral shedding of influenza A (H1N1) which are relevant, and the mechanisms which link obesity to inflammation and severity of infections. We suggest that weights and heights be recorded in all case-record forms and epidemiologic surveillance tools to assess the associations of body mass index with infection statusand disease outcomes. Obese individuals should be closely monitored in view of the risk of increased severity of COVID-19 infection.
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  • Obesity and COVID-19 Outcomes:A Risk Factor that Needs Attention

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Authors

Anurag Bhargava
Department of Medicine, Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore 575 018,, India
Madhavi Bhargava
Department of Community Medicine, Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore 575 018,, India

Abstract


Obesity, a comorbidity not well documented in the COVID-19 pandemic, is now being identified as a risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection, including in those less than 60 years of age. We discuss parallels of increased severity, prolonged viral shedding of influenza A (H1N1) which are relevant, and the mechanisms which link obesity to inflammation and severity of infections. We suggest that weights and heights be recorded in all case-record forms and epidemiologic surveillance tools to assess the associations of body mass index with infection statusand disease outcomes. Obese individuals should be closely monitored in view of the risk of increased severity of COVID-19 infection.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv118%2Fi9%2F1335-1336