Nutritional management of individuals with obesity and COVID-19: ESPEN expert statements and practical guidance

Among other important risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes, obesity has emerged along with undernutrition-malnutrition as a strong predictor of disease risk and severity. Obesity-related excessive body fat may lead to respiratory, metabolic and immune derangements potentially favouring the onset of COVID-19 complications.

Early after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) has published a paper in collaboration with experts from the World Health Organization-Europe to provide concise statements and guidance on nutritional management of COVID-19 patients, with particular focus on those with pre-existing conditions associated with malnutrition risk and on those in the intensive care unit (ICU).

The current paper aims at providing additional statements and guidance specifically for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in the management of COVID-19 patients in the presence of obesity.

In particular, it discusses: the impact of lifestyle changes on nutritional status during lockdown and social restriction conditions; nutritional management of persons with obesity for prevention of SAR-CoV2 infection and potential poor COVID-19 outcomes; nutritional management of persons with obesity and COVID-19 at home, in the non-ICU and in the ICU hospital setting; and nutritional management of persons with obesity during recovery from COVID-19.

Article details:

- Title: Nutritional management of individuals with obesity and COVID-19: ESPEN expert statements and practical guidance
- Authors: Rocco Barazzoni, Stephan C. Bischoff, Luca Busetto, Stephane Schneider, Pierre Singer, Yves Boirie
- Published in: Clinical Nutrition May 10, 2021
- Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2021.05.006