High BMI and Obesity are Severe Risk Factors for COVID-19

Another study confirms what doctors have long known: Being obese greatly raises the odds that if you contract COVID-19, your case could be a severe one.

By Total Access Medical · March 23, 2021

Illustration of people surrounded by virus particles.

As the toll from COVID-19 mounted in the pandemic’s early months, it soon became apparent that people with diabetes and hypertension, among other factors, were at heightened risk of severe disease. But obesity didn’t attract as much attention.

A new report from the CDC shows that about 78% of people who were hospitalized, placed on a ventilator or died from COVID-19 were overweight or obese.

Obese adults have an additional 113% risk, over normal-weight and overweight adults, of going into the hospital. That’s more than double the likelihood, if you’re obese, that you will be hospitalized if you test positive for COVID.

If you are obese or even overweight, you need to be cautious and more careful about COVID-19. Wear your masks. Be very careful when you're out and interacting with people outside of your core family. At the same time, talk to your physician about diet and activity and how you could improve those.