• The primary goal of the study was to assess the relationship between BMI and age in COVID-19 symptomatic patients in terms of hospital admission and acute versus intensive care.

• The study took place in New York and involved 3615 individuals from across the New York academic hospital system.

• 775 individuals had a BMI of 30-34 and 595 individuals had a BMI ≥ 35. The other individuals in the study did not have a BMI that would classify them as obese (less than 30).

• The only significant differences in hospital in admission and intensive care were in individuals who were <60 years of age.

• Patients with a BMI of 30-34 were 2 times as likely to enter into acute care and 1.8 times as likely to enter intensive care compared to patients with a BMI of <30.

• Patients with a BMI of ≥ 35 were 2.2 times as likely to enter into acute care and 3.6 times as likely to enter intensive care compared to patients with a BMI of <30.

• This study demonstrated that for patients under the age of 60 with a BMI that would indicate obesity, the rate of hospital admission is much higher than individuals who are not obese.