Pathways to Severe COVID-19 for People with Obesity

Increased morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people with obesity have illuminated the intersection of obesity with impaired responses to infections. Although data on mechanisms by which COVID-19 impacts health are being rapidly generated, there is a critical need to better understand the pulmonary, vascular, metabolic, and immunologic aspects that drive the increased risk for complications from COVID-19 in people with obesity. This review provides a broad overview of the intersection between COVID-19 and the physiology of obesity in order to highlight potential mechanisms by which COVID-19 disease severity is increased by obesity and identify areas for future investigation toward developing tailored therapy for people with obesity who develop COVID-19.

Automated summary

The increased morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 in individuals with obesity has drawn attention to the impaired responses to infections in this population. Research indicates a critical need to understand the physiological mechanisms underlying the increased risk for complications from COVID-19 in people with obesity, in order to develop tailored therapies for this group.