Most people who develop COVID-19 after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection present with paucisymptomatic and non-severe disease. However, approximately 20% of patients develop severe COVID-19 requiring hospitalisation, including 5% who are admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has led to an unprecedented health crisis. Hence, it is crucial to identify individuals who are susceptible to developing severe COVID-19 and could require hospitalisation, especially in the ICU.

Evidence is emerging that obesity-related conditions seem to worsen the effect of the virus. Studies from Chinese cohorts of patients with COVID-19 have identified several risk factors of severe COVID-19 including age, cardiomyopathy, and obesity-related complications such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

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