Obesity raises risk of dying from infections, study shows

Researchers followed more than half a million adults in Finland and the United Kingdom for over a decade, tracking hospital admissions and deaths caused by infections. People with obesity were far more likely to end up in hospital or die from infections than those with a healthy weight. The risk rose steadily with higher body weight.

Those with the most severe obesity faced the greatest danger. They were about 3 times more likely to be hospitalized or die from an infection compared with people of healthy weight. The increased risk was seen across many common illnesses, including lung infections, skin infections, stomach and gut infections, and viral diseases such as COVID-19.

Using global health data, the researchers estimated how this higher risk translates worldwide. In 2023, about 11% of all infection-related deaths were linked to obesity. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, that share rose to around 15%. Even before the pandemic, obesity was responsible for nearly 9% of infection deaths.

In real numbers, this means that in 2023 alone, about 600,000 infection deaths globally could be attributed to obesity. During the pandemic year of 2021, the figure was much higher, reaching around 2 million.

The link between obesity and infections was found across different ages, sexes, and social groups. It also appeared regardless of whether obesity was measured by body weight or waist size. While weight loss did not completely remove the risk, people who reduced their weight from obesity to a lower category saw a clear drop in infection risk.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the deaths from cardiovascular disease linked to overweight and obesity are rising among younger Australians.