Pathways to Severe COVID-19 for People with Obesity.

Increased morbidity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in people with obesity has illuminated the intersection of obesity with impaired responses to infections. While data is being rapidly generated on mechanisms by which COVID-19 impacts health, there is a critical need to better understand the pulmonary, vascular, metabolic, and immunologic aspects that drive the increased risk for complications from COVID-19 in people with obesity. In this review, we provide a broad overview of the intersection between COVID-19 and physiology of obesity to highlight potential mechanisms by which COVID-19 disease severity is increased by obesity, and to identify areas for future investigation towards developing tailored therapy for people with obesity who develop COVID-19.