COVID X OBESITY

• This study evaluated the prevalence of obesity in COVID-19 patients at a single hospital relative to the general population in France and to the population of intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted to the same hospital in the same time frame during preceding years. Of the 340 patients with severe COVID-19, 25% had obesity compared with 15.3 % of the general population (1.35 times higher in severe COVID-19 patients). The prevalence of obesity in COVID-19 patients in the ICU was 1.89 times higher than in the general population. The prevalence of obesity was higher in critical COVID-19 patients compared with noncritical patients. The prevalence of obesity in COVID-19 patients in the ICU was also higher than non–COVID-19 patients in the ICU.

• These findings may help clinicians identify patients at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and establish protective measures.