Obesity is a metabolic disease characterized by systemic changes in metabolism, including insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, changes in adipokines (e.g., increased leptin and decreased adiponectin levels), chronic inflammation, and altered immune response, all of which could collectively increase the risk of COVID–19 severity (35–37). The gene discussed is LEP; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.