The current obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemics represent two of the biggest health crises of the 21st century. Obesity and type 2 diabetes confer susceptibility to numerous different complications, including severe influenza virus infections. Specifically, both conditions significantly increase the risk of being hospitalised with, and dying from, influenza. The mechanisms that underscore this susceptibility remain poorly defined. Similarly, the role of these conditions in viral transmission and impairing an individual's immune response to both vaccination and natural infection are only just beginning to be elucidated. Here, I will discuss our latest research in our understanding of the role of both obesity and diabetes in severe influenza virus infections and what this means for influenza pandemic preparedness. Given that 7 in 10 Australians are overweight/obese and 1 in 11 Australians are living with diabetes this intersection between communicable and non-communicable disease remains of paramount importance.