Overweight people at risk of more severe COVID symptoms: Study

Researchers have confirmed overweight and obese people would be at a much greater risk of developing severe COVID symptoms if they contracted the virus.

The international research group, spearheaded by the University of Queensland and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, found obese patients were 73 per cent more likely to need to be ventilated in an intensive care unit and also more likely to require non-invasive forms of oxygen.

UQ’s Kirsty Short said they also found that people who were overweight, rather than obese, also had a higher risk of needing invasive mechanical ventilation.

“We’ve known for a while that obesity is a risk factor…