Obesity and COVID-19: the two sides of the coin

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, a pandemic on March 12, 2020. COVID-19 is causing massive health problems and economic suffering around the world. The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) promptly recognised the impact that the outbreak could have on people with obesity. On one side, emerging data suggest that obesity represents a risk factor for a more serious and complicated course of COVID-19 in adults. On the other side, the health emergency caused by the outbreak diverts attention from the prevention and care of non-communicable chronic diseases to communicable diseases. This might be particularly true for obesity, a chronic and relapsing disease frequently neglected and linked to significant bias and stigmatization. The Obesity Management Task Force (OMTF) of EASO contributes in this paper to highlighting the key aspects of these two sides of the coin and suggests some specific actions

European association for the study of obesity position statement on the global COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 12, 2020. The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), as a scientific and medical society dedicated to the promotion of health and well-being, is greatly concerned about this global health challenge and its significant impacts on individuals, families, communities, health systems, nations, and wider society.</p