In the newly published article named "Associations between body-mass index and COVID-19 severity in 6·9 million people in England: a prospective, community-based, cohort study" the conclusion is "a significant interaction between BMI and age and ethnicity, with higher HR per kg/m² above BMI 23 kg/m² for younger people (adjusted HR per kg/m² above BMI 23 kg/m² for hospital admission 1·09 [95% CI 1·08–1·10] in 20–39 years age group vs 80–100 years group 1·01 [1·00–1·02]) and Black people than White people (1·07 [1·06–1·08] vs 1·04 [1·04–1·05])"
Could anyone please help me have a clear understanding of the meaning "hazard ratio per unit"?
Its surprising that HR is not better defined in this paper from the Lancet. I suggest you email the corrsponding author and ask the exact defination of HR
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(21)00089-9/fulltext
Essentially it means that they saw a higher outcome effect (in this case Covid infection) per each incremental unit (kg/height) above a BMI threshold. Almost like a dose-response relationship. So the more units of obesity (high BMI) above the threshold, the more risk of contracting the hazard (Covid). That doesn't mean that the actual physiological driver is obesity per se, but co-morbidities like diabetes.
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