Obesity and Viral Infections

Obesity is a risk factor for severe clinical course in patients with COVID-19, possibly due to underlying immune and inflammatory changes along with pulmonary system impairments and cooccurring obesity-related conditions that are also risk factors for COVID-19. These findings highlight the need for intensive COVID-19 management as obesity severity increases but also promotion of COVID-19 prevention strategies in those living with obesity including continued vaccine prioritization and masking and timely booster dosages. Providers should continue to advocate for individuals facing racial and socioeconomic health disparities and stigma to seek medical atten-tion policies to treatment and/or prevention of COVID-19 while also encouraging and supporting a healthy BMI.17