Obesity Increases Risk of Severe COVID Symptoms

Obese people are about 35 percent more likely to suffer serious symptoms or to die if they catch coronavirus.

According to National Health Insurance Service data, obese people with coronavirus have a 13.4 percent chance of developing serious symptoms, compared to 9.9 percent for people who are not obese.

The analysis was conducted among 87,881 coronavirus patients whose records had been kept by the NHIS as of Sept. 27. A body mass index (BMI) of over 25 was used as the threshold for obesity.

Obese coronavirus patients are also at a higher risk of dying with a 1.3 percent fatality rate than others (0.9 percent).

Obese male patients in their 60s have an 18.5 percent chance of falling seriously ill, and those over 70 a one-third chance, which is four to five percent higher than normal.

In an analysis of 399,000 COVID-19 patients across the globe in August last year, the international journal Obesity Reviews found that obese people have a 13 percent higher chance of being hospitalized, a 74 percent greater chance of being admitted to intensive care, and a 48 percent higher chance of death.

Obese people often already have respiratory troubles and suffer from cardiovascular diseases or systemic inflammation.