Obesity was the most prevalent underlying condition for children who were hospitalized after contracting the new coronavirus, a new study shows.
Published in JAMA Pediatrics, the study examined 50 children hospitalized with COVID-19 at a children's hospital in New York City. They were admitted between March 1 and April 15.
Obesity was the most common underlying condition, present in 11 of the 50 children (22 percent). Obesity was also significantly associated with mechanical ventilation in children 2 years or older.
"Obesity was significantly associated with disease severity," researchers concluded.