Middle East Journal of Family Medicine

JOURNAL

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March 2023 - Volume 21, Issue 2
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Editorial
Abdulrazak Abyad

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March 2023- Volume 21, Issue 2

Obesity is a risk factor for COVID-19 infection in Saudi Arabia

Mohammed Aljuaid 1, Salman Rawaf 2, Farrah K. Alnajjar 3, Mashael K. Alshaik 4, Yasmeen Saleh 5, Hadil AK Al Otair 6

(1) Department of Health Administration, College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia(2) WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training, Department of Primary and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College of London, London, United Kingdom
(3) Rabigh General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia;
(4) Pharmacy Services Department, King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia(5) College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates;
(6) Department of Medicine. King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Hadil AK Al Otair
Department of Medicine (38)
King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC)King Saud University
PO Box 2825 Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia.
Mobile: +966 56 627 8975
Email: hadil.alotair@live.com

Received: February 2023 Accepted: February 2023; Published:March 1, 2023. Citation: Mohammed Aljuaid. et al. Obesity is a risk factor for COVID-19 infection in Saudi Arabia. World Family Medicine. March 2023; 21(2): 52-58 DOI: 10.5742/MEWFM.2023.95256057

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a global health hazard that has recently been linked to adverse clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infection.
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the obesity risk factors among hospitalized COVID-19 patients and their influence on the clinical outcomes of the disease

Methods: This is a retrospective observational cohort study of COVID-19 patients admitted to one tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia from May to July 2020. Patients’ demographics, comorbidities and clinical manifestations were collected from the medical records. The clinical outcomes were compared between patients with different categories of body mass index (BMI).

Results: Out of 260 patients who were included in the study, 41.6% were obese. Compared to those patients with normal and overweight BMI, obese patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have hypertension, ischemic heart disease, chronic lung disease and heart failure. Pneumonia (81.1%), ARDS (80.8%), mechanical ventilation (80%), acute kidney injury (74.2%) and heart failure (86.7%) were more prevalent in patients who were either overweight or obese. More than 50% of the patients admitted to the intensive care unit were either overweight or obese, representing nearly 55% of the mortalities. On an average, the BMI of females (32.2 ± 8.3 kg/m²), was significantly higher than males (28.3 ± 5.1 kg/m²), (P<0.01) and with higher BMI, the chance of having hypertension increases by threefold (P<0.01).

Conclusion: Obesity is very common among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, particularly females. Obese patients were more likely to have cardiovascular risk factors and adverse clinical outcomes.

Keywords: COVID-19, Obesity, BMI, Risk factors, Outcome

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