“the analyses in this report describe a J-shaped association between BMI and severe COVID-19, with the lowest risk at BMIs near the threshold between healthy weight and overweight in most instances”.
The CNBC news report falsely states that “The agency found the risk for hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths was lowest among individuals with BMIs under 25”. They go on to say, “It doesn’t take a lot of extra pounds to be considered overweight or obese. A 5-foot-10-inch man at 175 pounds and 5-foot-4-inch woman at 146 pounds would both be considered overweight with BMIs of just over 25″, without mentioning that this BMI of 25 is actually optimal for avoiding hospitalization for all but the youngest (18-39) age group, according to the CDC study (see Figure 2).
The news report you link to on the CDC study of BMI and Covid is highly misleading. The CDC report (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7010e4.htm) says
“the analyses in this report describe a J-shaped association between BMI and severe COVID-19, with the lowest risk at BMIs near the threshold between healthy weight and overweight in most instances”.
The CNBC news report falsely states that “The agency found the risk for hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths was lowest among individuals with BMIs under 25”. They go on to say, “It doesn’t take a lot of extra pounds to be considered overweight or obese. A 5-foot-10-inch man at 175 pounds and 5-foot-4-inch woman at 146 pounds would both be considered overweight with BMIs of just over 25″, without mentioning that this BMI of 25 is actually optimal for avoiding hospitalization for all but the youngest (18-39) age group, according to the CDC study (see Figure 2).
I’ll check it out in more detail when I have time. Very plausible you’re right.
Got another report it’s misleading, so edited to simply link to source for now. Don’t have bandwidth/energy to investigate further at the moment.