Obesity and Outcomes in COVID-19

Dr. Carl (Chip) Lavie, from the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans, Louisiana, reviews his article appearing online ahead of Proof on May 12, 2020, and in the July 2020 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, which examines the reasons behind higher mortality rates in patients with obesity. He notes in several studies, this is independent of other co-morbidities and COVID-19 appears to be one disease that does not benefit from the obesity paradox that exists in other cardiovascular diseases. He also notes that it is too late to address this with patients now, but that clinicians can influence future outcomes of outbreaks of such diseases by encouraging their patients to increase their cardiorespiratory fitness through regular exercise.