The sickest patients with swine flu were more likely to be young adults, obese and of Hispanic or Pacific Island descent

Researchers examined the records of 47 H1N1, or swine flu, patients admitted to adult intensive care units in Utah at Intermountain Medical Center, LDS Hospital, and the University of Utah Health Sciences Center between May 19 and June 30, 2009, the first outbreak period in Utah. All of the 47 patients resided within Salt Lake County. They found a disproportionate number among minorities. Pacific Islanders make up 1% of the county's population, but accounted for 26% of the H1N1 stays in the intensive care unit. Hispanics are 13% of the population, but 23% of the H1N1 cases studied. The patients were also more likely to be overweight. All of the eight patients who died were obese or morbidly obese, the study found.