Obesity and smoking linked to higher risk of getting Covid-19; researcher urges a vaccine booster shot for those who can’t shed kilos or quit

Having a high BMI can increase your risk of a severe bout of Covid by 81 per cent, while smokers are at 65 per cent higher risk, a Hong Kong study has shown

For obese people who can’t lose weight, and smokers who can’t give up cigarettes or vaping, researchers recommend getting a vaccine booster shot

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People with a high body mass index are more likely to get a severe Covid-19 infection and to be admitted to hospital for it, according to a new study. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:15pm, 15 Feb 2023Updated: 4:40pm, 15 Feb 2023

While much of the world is focused on adapting to the new norms of the post-pandemic era, researchers continue to look for clues as to what factors may make a Covid-19 infection more serious for some than for others.

A large-scale genetic study, a collaboration between researchers from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), concludes that smoking and being obese are likely to increase the risk of people contracting mild to severe Covid-19.

“Our study confirms the importance of smoking and obesity in increasing the risk of contracting all forms of Covid-19,” said Dr Ryan Au Yeung Shiu-lun, a researcher and assistant professor in the division of epidemiology and biostatistics of HKU’s School of Public Health.

The results, published in the Journal of Medical Virology, also found that targeting a key enzyme the coronavirus uses to infect cells, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), may help to offset some of the risks obesity presents.

Ryan Au Yeung, assistant professor in the division of epidemiology and biostatistics of HKU’s School of Public Health, took part in the recent study. Photo: Ryan Au Yeung

ACE2 is a protein “receptor” found on the surface of many cells in the human body, particularly those in the heart, kidneys and lungs. The enzyme provides a point for the Covid-19 virus to enter and infect the body.