Foo O, Hiu S, Teare D, et al. - These outcomes indicate that obesity prevalence is a significant and potentially modifiable risk factor of increased COVID-19 national caseload and mortality. There is an urgent need for further study to evaluate whether weight loss improves COVID-19 outcomes.

• The data indicated that higher obesity prevalence was correlated with elevated COVID-19 mortality and prevalence rates across 168 countries.

• The mortality rate was increased by 8·3% (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 1·083; 95% CI: 1·048 to 1·119, p<0·001) and the case rate was higher by 6·6% (IRR = 1·066; 95% CI: 1·035 to 1·099, p<0·001) for every 1% increase in obesity prevalence.

• Higher COVID-19 mortality rate was significantly correlated with higher median population age, greater female ratio, higher Human Development Index, lower population density, and lower hospital bed availability.

• It was shown that stricter governmental actions, higher Human Development Index and lower mean annual temperature were significantly correlated with higher COVID-19 case rate.