Childhood obesity and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Objective: To estimate the association between childhood obesity and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort followed from 4 to 12 years of age.

Methods: The data were obtained from two independent sources: the Longitudinal Childhood Obesity Study (ELOIN) and the epidemiological surveillance system data from the Community of Madrid (Spain), which served to identify the population within the cohort with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The SARS-CoV-2 registry was cross-checked with the cohort population at 11-12 years of age. A total of 2018 eligible participants were identified in the cohort, who underwent physical examinations at 4, 6, and 9 years of age during which weight, height, and waist circumference were recorded. General obesity (GO) was determined according to the WHO-2007 criteria whereas abdominal obesity (AO) was defined based on the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The relative risks (RRs) of infection were estimated using a Poisson regression model and adjusted by sociodemographic variables, physical activity, and perceived health reported by the parents.

Results: The accumulated incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 8.6% (95% CI: 7.3-9.8). The estimated RR of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 2.53 (95% CI: 1.56-4.10) and 2.56 (95% CI: 1.55-4.21) for children 4-9 years old with stable GO and AO, respectively, compared with those who did not present GO.

Conclusions: Childhood obesity is an independent risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study provides new evidence that indicates that obesity increases the vulnerability of the paediatric population to infectious diseases.