Lancet

Obesity tied to increased hospitalizations, deaths from infections

February 16, 2026

A multicohort analysis from Finland and the U.K. found that adults with obesity faced higher risks of severe infections across nearly all pathogen categories. Compared with healthy‑weight adults, individuals with class III obesity had roughly threefold higher risks of infection‑related hospitalizations and deaths. The association held across BMI, waist measures, demographic groups, and acute and chronic infections. Modeling with global obesity prevalence data suggested that ~1 in 10 infection-related deaths worldwide could be attributable to obesity in recent years.

Clinical takeaway: Consider obesity status when assessing infection risk; adults with obesity may benefit from closer monitoring, timely vaccination, and early evaluation for infectious symptoms.

Source:

Nyberg ST, et al. (2026, Februar 9). Lancet. Adult obesity and risk of severe infections: a multicohort study with global burden estimates. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41679324/