Research has found that obesity significantly increases the risk of severe infection.

A study conducted by researchers from Finland, the UK, and other countries found that obesity significantly increases the risk of hospitalization or death from common infections. In severely obese populations, this risk can be up to three times higher than in normal weight populations. The University of Helsinki in Finland recently issued a press release stating that this study, which involved over 540,000 people in Finland and the UK, tracked participants through national registration systems for an average follow-up period of 13 to 14 years to analyze the association between obesity and severe infections. The study included various common infections such as influenza, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and urinary tract infections.