In a new study from the University of Oxford, researchers found the risk for severe COVID-19 leading to hospital admission and death is increased at a body mass index (BMI) of more than 23 kg/m2.
In the study, the team used deidentified patient-level data to examine the association of obesity with adverse outcomes after severe COVID-19 infection.
Data were included for 6,910,695 eligible individuals (mean BMI, 26.78 kg/m2).
The researchers found that 0.2% of the individuals were admitted to the hospital, 0.02% were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), and 0.08% died after a positive SARS-CoV-2 test.
A J-shaped link was identified between BMI and admission to the hospital for COVID-19 and death.
Across the whole BMI range, there was a linear association with ICU admission. There was a strong interaction between BMI and age and ethnicity.
Above BMI 23 kg/m2, hazard ratios increased per kg/m2 for younger people.
The researchers don’t yet know that weight loss specifically reduces the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, but they say it is highly plausible, and will certainly bring other health benefits.
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The study is published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. One author of the study is Min Gao.
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