The intersection between COVID-19 and obesity in the context of an emerging country

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has already caused a substantial public health burden. Increasing number of studies linked obesity to more severe COVID-19 consequence and mortality, challenging health systems worldwide, especially in emerging countries like Brazil. Herein, we aimed to search the literature and present the current intersection between obesity and COVID-19 in the Brazilian population. METHODS: One hundred twenty-five articles were initially searched after duplicate removal, and nine were finally included in our analysis. RESULTS: Our findings emphasized the magnitude of COVID-19 infection in Brazil and the impact of obesity as a risk factor that aggravates the prognosis of outpatients or hospitalized patients. We also demonstrated social aspects of COVID-19 that could act enhancing the obesity condition in Latin American countries. CONCLUSIONS: A more careful look at the available data could help to understand better the dynamic between obesity and COVID-19, focusing on the Brazilian population and could eventually guide management strategies and therapies for COVID-19 in the future.