Obesity has long been on the list of risk factors for developing a severe case of COVID-19 following infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. A Cleveland Clinic study, published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, shows that COVID-19 survivors with moderate to severe obesity may also be at greater risk of experiencing long-term consequences of the disease.

What They Did

The study followed 2,839 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection between March and July 2020 within the Cleveland Clinic health system. Follow-up continued through January 2021. Participants were assessed for:

• Hospital Admission 
• Need for Diagnostic Medical Tests
• Mortality 

These factors occurred 30 days or more after the patients’ first positive test for SARS-CoV-2. Outcomes were then compared with those of five groups of patients, based on their body mass index (BMI): 

• 18.5-24.9 (Normal)
• 25-29.9 (Overweight) 
• 30-34.9 (Mild Obesity) 
• 35-39.9 (Moderate Obesity)
• 40 or greater (Severe Obesity)

What They Found

The researchers found that, during a 10-month follow-up after acute COVID-19 illness:

• 44% of the participants required hospital admission
• 1% died
• Compared to patients with normal BMI, patients with moderate and severe obesity:
  • Had a 28% (moderate) and 30% (severe) higher rate of hospital admissions 
  • Had a 25% (moderate) and 39% (severe) greater need for diagnostic tests to assess various medical issues 

The need for diagnostic tests regarding cardiac, pulmonary, vascular, renal, gastrointestinal, and mental health problems was significantly higher in patients with a BMI ≥35.

What It Means

According to Bartolome Burguera, M.D, Ph.D., chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Endocrinology & Metabolism Institute and co-author of the study, these results may be due to underlying factors such as hyper-inflammation, immune dysfunction, and comorbidities that are often at work in patients with obesity. “Those conditions can lead to poor outcomes in the acute phase of COVID-19 in patients with obesity,” he said, “and could possibly lead to an increased risk of long-term complications of COVID-19 in this patient population.”

*Cleveland Clinic. (2021, June 3). Study Shows Obesity May Increase Risk of Long-Term Complications of COVID-19 [Press Release]. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/06/03/study-shows-obesity-may-increase-risk-of-long-term-complications-of-covid-19/ 

Much about the novel coronavirus, i.e., COVID-19, is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but there may occasionally be some lag between scientific developments and our revisions.