Overweight: A risk factor for COVID-19 --- A medical conundrum or a reality?

INTRODUCTION: Obesity may contribute to the initiation, progression, transmission, and deterioration of COVID-19. However, there was lack of such studies carried out by Indian workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of cumulative cases of COVID-19 of various countries as on the day the peak incidence were reported in each country during the first and second waves of the pandemic was obtained from the internet. Data on prevalence of overweight were obtained by doing a thorough search of existing literature. The data so collected were tabulated and analyzed using SPSS version 20 to establish a correlation coefficient between overweight and COVID-19. Data pertaining to overweight status and age profile and COVID-19 status as on 28 Feb 2021 was collated as part of routine surveillance from the Health Department in an urban area. The total population for which the above data was obtained was 1107. The data so collected were subject to statistical analysis using SPSS version 20, to find out the odds ratio of overweight as a risk factor for COVID-19 after adjusting for age. RESULTS: Correlation coefficient between overweight and COVID-19 for data pertaining to the first wave and the second wave 0.95 and 0.94, respectively. Odds ratio of overweight as a risk factor for COVID-19 after adjusting for age works out to 2.95 (95% confidence interval 2.30- 3.78). Mean age of the study subjects was 32.61 years (median 32 years, minimum 19 years, maximum 54 years, standard deviation 6.62). LIMITATIONS: The limitation of the present study is that the workers could only obtain retrospective data, carry out a case-control study and calculate odd ratio for overweight as a risk factor for COVID-19.