Is excess weight a risk factor for the development of COVID 19 infection? A preliminary report from India.

Abstract Background and aim This study explored the association between BMI and COVID-19 positive status in a tertiary care hospital from New Delhi. Methods Three hundred and seventy nine adult patients who presented to COVID-19 screening outpatient department of the hospital were interviewed over the phone regarding their body weight and height. The COVID-19 RT-PCR report of the patients was extracted from the hospital information system. Results The mean BMI and the prevalence of obesity was observed to be higher in individuals who were detected to be COVID-19 RT-PCR positive as compared to those who were negative. With every one-unit increment in BMI above 23 kg/m2, the odds of being COVID-19 positive increased by 1.8 times among these patients. Conclusion The findings suggest a dose-response association between BMI and the odds of COVID-19 infection in individuals with excess weight.