Correlation of overweight condition and obesity with mortality by COVID-19 in Brazil's state capitals

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between the prevalence of overweight condition and obesity with mortality rates due to COVID-19 in Brazil's state capitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an ecological study, whose units of analysis were the 26 state capitals and the Federal District of Brazil. Prevalence was estimated by the results of the Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico 2019 (VIGITEL). The general mortality rates due to COVID-19 were collected on the official website of the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MH) and stratified by the same Brazilian capitals evaluated in the VIGITEL survey. The rates included the period between the 1st and 29th Epidemiological Weeks of 2020. The Partial Correlation Test (r) was used, controlled for confounding factors, to evaluate the correlation between the prevalence of overweight/obesity and the overall mortality rates due to COVID-19. RESULTS: The mean mortality rate for COVID-19 in the period was 65.1 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Regarding the prevalence of obesity and overweight, 20.2% and 54.7% were the mean values observed in the state capitals, respectively. The prevalence of obesity was positively correlated with the overall mortality rate due to COVID-19, with mean positive correlation (r=0.380) and statistically significant correlation (p=0.034). CONCLUSION: This study pointed out that, at the aggregate level, there is a concomitant and correlated increase in mortality rates due to COVID-19 and prevalence of obesity in Brazilian capitals. The data found may contribute to actions to cope with the pandemic aimed at this population.