Extremely obese people with Covid-19 are 17 times more likely to require admission to intensive care in Ireland than cases with no underlying condition, a new analysis shows. Those who were extremely obese were 3.5 times more likely to require hospitalisation. Only people with cancer, heart disease and kidney disease had a higher risk of needing to go to hospital. Among those with high BMI, risk of severe outcomes from a Covid infection is not confined to the extremely obese. International evidence points to a linear relationship between BMI and the risk of severe Covid-19 illness, Prof Finucane says.

Source: The Irish Times September 23, 2020 01:04 UTC