Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection, can range from mild flu-like symptoms to severe, life-threatening conditions. While obesity is already known to worsen the severity of dengue in hospitalised patients, its role in increasing the likelihood of hospitalisation has not been thoroughly explored. With the global rise in obesity rates, understanding this potential link is vital for effective disease control and prevention strategies.

A team of researchers set out to investigate whether obesity is associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation for dengue in children. The study focused on a large cohort of Sri Lankan children, forming part of an island-wide dengue sero-surveillance project and was published in the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases journal.

The study involved 4,782 children aged 10 to 18, selected from nine districts in Sri Lanka. The results showed that, while dengue infection rates were similar across different BMI percentiles, there was a significant difference in hospitalisation rates. Among children with a BMI percentile over 97 (considered obese), 18.2% who were seropositive for dengue had been hospitalized. In comparison, only 9.48% of seropositive children with a lower BMI percentile (less than 97) had been hospitalised. Children with a BMI percentile over 97 had more than twice the risk of hospitalisation compared to their peers with lower BMI percentiles.

Obesity is known to increase the risk of severe disease from many infections. If rising obesity rates lead to higher dengue hospitalisation rates, obesity could significantly contribute to the increasing hospitalisations seen in many dengue-endemic countries. Additionally, understanding how obesity and diabetes worsen dengue could lead to the development of specific biomarkers and treatments for at-risk populations.