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Fat weight doubles the risk of hospitalization of Covid-19 and increases the risk of dying by almost 50%, suggests a global analysis.
Obesity makes other diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure more likely, say American researchers.
Together with a weakened immune system, this can make these individuals more vulnerable to severe Covid-19.
They also warn a vaccine against coronavirus may be less effective in obese people.
This is based on the fact that flu vaccines do not work as well in those with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30.
The team, from the University of North Carolina, looked at data from 75 studies from around the world for their research, including nearly 400,000 patients.
They found that people with obesity and Covid-19 were twice as likely to be hospitalized and 74% more likely to be admitted to intensive care. They also had more risk of dying from the disease caused by coronavirus.
Studies from the UK have shown similar risks for people who are overweight, prompting the government to introduce new measures to curb obesity.
Professor Barry Popkin, who led the study from the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina, said the increased risks of obesity and Covid-19 were “much higher than expected.”
He said healthier food should be a priority in many countries, with less sugary drinks and much less junk and processed foods in people’s diets.
Obesity has been linked to a number of diseases that also put people at higher risk of becoming ill with Covid-19.
It can also lead to more inflammation in the body, reduce the body’s ability to fight infections and put more strain on other organs, such as breathing.
“Vaccine researchers need to look at how it affects obese individuals,” says Prof Popkin about a coronavirus vaccine to protect against Covid-19.
He is concerned that a vaccine, when ready to use, may be less effective in a population with a high percentage of people with obesity.
With obesity around the world and 20% of people overweight or obese in almost every country – in the UK and US it is close to 66% – understanding how treatments and vaccines work in this group is “critical”, says the research.
