Obesity has been established as a major risk factor for severe illness and mortality from COVID-19. It is therefore important to elucidate the mechanisms by which obesity may contribute to the disease process, in order to identify potential targets for treatment and inform us how better to identify and protect those at greatest risk.
Here is a brief overview of our understanding so far of the relationship between COVID-19 and obesity, highlighting a number of key factors, including adipose tissue dysfunction, vitamin D deficiency, comorbid conditions and ethnicity.