As our experience grows, information and guidance about SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is emerging rapidly. We are likely all aware that the clinical effects of this respiratory disease are particularly severe in certain populations, including seniors, people with pre-existing respiratory and cardiac disease, and those with compromised immune systems.
People with obesity have a higher likelihood of being in each of these categories and should therefore be considered at increased risk for severe disease. This is particularly true for people with moderate to severe obesity, whose compromised physiological state and burden of complications is generally higher.
In addition, for people with severe obesity, management of severe COVID-19 may also be compromised by challenges in diagnosis and treatment caused by the physical effects of their obesity.
We have assembled this online resource to help providers, patients and all of us who counsel, support, advise and treat people with obesity, as we all face the extraordinary risk and impact of COVID-19. In an attempt to meet the need for timely information and guidance in this rapidly evolving environment, this resource is divided into multiple sections of relevance to each of our constituents.
- Obesity and Its Implications for COVID-19 Mortality – Dietz and Burgoa
- A New Symptom of COVID-19: Loss of Taste and Smell – Gautier and Ravussin
- COVID-19, School Closings and Weight Gain – Joob and Wiwanikit
- High Prevalence of Obesity in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) Requiring Invasive Mechanical Ventilation – Simonnet et. al
- COVID-19 Related School Closings and Risk of Weight Gain Among Children – Rundle et. al
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Bariatric Surgery: Re-Defining Psychosocial Care – Sockalingam et. al
- Does COVID-19 Disprove the Obesity Paradox in ARDS? – Jose and Manuel
- Targeting the Adipose Tissue in COVID-19 – Malavazos et. al
- Obesity is Associated with Severe Forms of COVID-19 – Caussy et. al
- Is Adipose Tissue a Reservoir for Viral Spread, Immune Activation and Cytokine Amplification in COVID-19 – Ryan and Caplice
- Considerations for Obesity, Vitamin D, and Physical Activity amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic – Carter et. al
- Measuring Weight with E-Scales in Clinical and Research Settings During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Krukowski and Ross
- The Role of Adipocytes and Adipocyte-like Cells in the Severity of COVID-19 Infections – Kruglikov and Scherer
- Weight Stigma and the “Quarantine-15” – Pearl
- Does High Cardiorespiratory Fitness Confer Some Protection Against Pro-inflammatory Responses After Infection by SARS-CoV-2? – Zbinden-Foncea et. al
- Obesity Accompanying COVID-19: The Role of Epicardial Fat – Zhao
- Obesity and Severe COVID-19 Disease: A Strong Association – Samuels
- Zooming Towards a Telehealth Solution for Vulnerable Children with Obesity During COVID-19 – Baidal et. al
- Association of Obesity with Disease Severity Among Patients with COVID-19 – Kalligeros et. al
- Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown on Lifestyle Behaviors in Children with Obesity Living in Verona, Italy: A Longitudinal Study – Pietrobelli et. al
- A Primer on COVID-19 Mathematical Models – Thomas et. al
- COVID-19 Ventilatory Phenotypes and Obesity: Is there a Relationship? – Costa et. al
- Increased Severity of COVID-19 in People with Obesity: Are we Overlooking Plausible Biological Mechanisms – Tibiriҫá and Lorenzo
- Special Issues for COVID-19 in Children and Adolescents – Brambilla et. al
- There is a Relationship Between Obesity and COVID-19 But More Information is Needed – Buscemi et. al
- Morbid Obesity as an Independent Risk Factor for COVID-19 Mortality in Hospitalized Patients Younger than 50 – Klang et. al
- Body Mass Index, Weight Discrimination, and Psychological, Behavioral and Interpersonal Responses to the Coronavirus Pandemic – Sutin et. al
- Good Deeds and Cheap Marketing—The Food Industry in the Times of COVID-19 – White et. al
- Increased ACE2 Expression in the Bronchial Epithelium of COPD Patients who are Overweight – Hingham and Singh
- COVID-19 Related Home Confinement in Adults: Weight Gain Risks and Opportunities – Bhutani and Cooper
- Obesity is Associated with Worst Outcomes in COVID-19: An Analysis of Early Data from New York City – Hajifathalian et. al
- Possible Role of Adipose Tissue and Endocannabinoid System in COVID-19 Pathogenesis: Can Rimonabant Return? – Briand-Mésage et. al
- Obesity and COVID-19: An Italian Snapshot – Busetto et. al
- Screen Time for Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Nagata et. al
For more information or questions please email editorial@obesity.org