Adults living with obesity face a significantly higher risk of serious infections, a new international study shows. Researchers found that people with obesity are 70% more likely than those of a healthy weight to develop severe infections requiring hospitalisation or causing death. The analysis drew on health data from more than 540,000 adults in Finland and the United Kingdom.
Infectious diseases, caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi, range from mild illnesses like influenza, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and stomach infections to more serious conditions such as COVID-19. The study suggests that excess body weight can increase the risk that these infections become severe.
To understand the link, researchers analysed long-term data from two Finnish health studies and the UK Biobank. Participants…