Nutritionists and doctors are warning Kiwis to avoid the temptation of using the lockdown as an excuse to give up exercise and gorge on easy-to-prepare but nutrition-low processed food.

They warn piling on the pounds could make it more likely you develop serious complications or even die from COVID-19.

European Scientist reports nearly three-quarters of the first few thousand COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care in the UK were overweight or obese, and "patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome might have to up 10 times greater risk of death when they contract COVID-19".

The research was carried out by Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist with the UK's NHS.

"What is staggering is that looking at all the data, it is irrefutable that metabolic disease is the leading cause of mortality from COVID-19," said Dr Malhotra.

"This covers much of what we are already being told, that outcomes for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure are far worse than in otherwise healthy adults. What is not being spelled out is that poor diet and obesity is behind this."