Overweight or obese adolescents and adults experience more respiratory symptoms from COVID-19 despite similar viral loads compared with normal-weight individuals, according to a study published Oct. 19 in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
Researchers analyzed the symptoms of 552 patients exposed to COVID-19, 470 of which tested positive, between June 2020 and January 2021.
Nearly two-thirds of participants (63.8 percent) had a body mass index classified as overweight or obese. These patients suffered from more symptoms compared to individuals who were not overweight or obese, specifically significantly increased cough, shortness of breath and altered taste.
Adolescents experienced more frequent and longer duration of respiratory symptoms. Overall symptom frequency, duration, and self-reported severity levels in adolescents were more similar to adults.
Researchers noted limitations to the study included self-reporting of symptoms and a smaller number of adolescents compared with other age groups.