LOS ANGELES - Obesity has become a risk factor for infection, severe disease, and death — and now, a new study is examining obesity and its connection to COVID-19.
The study — published in the online medical journal bioRxiv on Oct. 25, explains how adipocytes, a fat cell, and adipose tissue, commonly known as body fat, are tolerated by the SARS-CoV-2 infection and how the virus can trigger a deleterious inflammatory response in the body.
These inflammatory triggers can be especially harmful to those who are overweight or are considered higher risk for severe illness, hospitalization and death if they fall ill with COVID-19.