Obesity’s Disparate Impact on COVID-19 Outcomes in Asian American Patients with Cancer

Data on COVID-19 outcomes in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are lacking. We analyzed data from 6,244 patients from the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium, including 6.0% AAPI patients, to examine disparities in outcomes following acute COVID-19. Despite AAPI patients having lower median BMI than non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients and higher diabetes rates, both groups showed similar 30-day mortality and COVID-19 outcomes. In multivariable analyses, morbid obesity (BMI >35 kg/m ² ) in AAPI patients was associated with significantly higher 30-day mortality (OR 4.96; 95% CI 1.78 – 13.88) and COVID-19 severity (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.26 – 5.35); underscoring the differential impact of obesity in AAPI patients.