(TJVNEWS) Hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 deaths could have been avoided if obesity rates had not been so high, according to the World Obesity Federation(LINK to STUDY)
The death rate from COVID-19 is 10 times higher in countries where 50% or more of the population is overweight, according to the federation.
From the report’s summary
This report shows that in countries where less than
half the adult population is classified as overweight
the likelihood of death from COVID-19 is a small
fraction – around one tenth – of the level seen in
countries where more than half the population is
classified as overweight. Of the 2.5 million COVID-19
deaths reported by the end of February 2021, 2.2
million were in countries where more than half the
population is classified as overweight
Sky News reported:
Author of the report Dr Tim Lobstein, who is a senior policy adviser to the World Obesity Federation and visiting professor at the University of Sydney, said: “We now know that an overweight population is the next pandemic waiting to happen.
“Look at countries like Japan and South Korea where they have very low levels of COVID-19 deaths as well as very low levels of adult obesity.
“They have prioritized public health across a range of measures, including population weight, and it has paid off in the pandemic.
“Governments have been negligent and ignored the economic value of a healthy population at their peril.
“For the last decade they have failed to tackle obesity, despite setting themselves targets at United Nations meetings.
“COVID-19 is only the latest infection exacerbated by weight issues, but the warning signs were there. We have seen it in the past with Mers, H1N1 and other respiratory diseases.”
Johanna Ralston, chief executive of the World Obesity Federation, said: “The failure to address the root causes of obesity over many decades is clearly responsible for hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths.”
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation, said the link between obesity and COVID-19 mortality rates was now “clear and compelling”.
He added: “This report must act as a wake-up call to governments globally.
