Objective: To study to the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who present with increased body mass index (BMI) as well as to assess the effect of increased BMI on disease activity, quality of life (QoL) and damage. Patients and Methods: Sixty SLE patients were clinically examined, investigated and grouped according to their body mass index (BMI). Assessment of disease activity using Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Measure (SLAM), damage by Systemic Lupus International Collaboration Clinics (SLICC)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) damage index and QoL using QoL index were performed on all patients. Results: There were 56 female (93.33%) and 4 males (6.67%), their mean age was 32.37±7.12 years and their mean disease duration was 7.74±4.23 years. There was a significant association of increased BMI with older age, longer disease duration, lupus nephritis,
thrombocytopenia, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Increased BMI also was positively correlated with damage (r=0.28, P<0.05), negatively correlated with QoL (r=-0.77, P<0.001) and non significantly with disease activity in SLE patients. Conclusion: In SLE patients, the increased BMI was associated with older age, longer disease duration, hypertension, nephritis, thrombocytopenia, altered lipid profile, increased damage and decreased QoL. It doesn't appear to have a role in disease activity. Therefore, interventions to reduce or reverse obesity could improve both symptoms and long-term outcomes of patients with lupus.