Excess Weight and COVID-19 Public Health England Report

This report provides insights into the relationship between excess weight and COVID-19. Evidence has been brought together from the UK and international studies published during the pandemic.

This report has used a pragmatic methodology and is not a systematic review however despite the limitations in the report the data suggests that people with COVID-19 who are living with overweight or obesity, compared with those of a healthy weight, are at an increased risk of serious COVID-19 complications and death. There is currently no high-quality research on the effects of weight loss on COVID-19 risks.