Obesity one of the reasons the UK death rate so high?

[Baileysforchristmas]

I know it’s the Daily fail and it’s not a brilliant article but I wonder if this one of the reasons our death rate is so high?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9282619/Obesity-link-UK-Covid-toll-Britains-status-sick-man-Europe-led-deaths.html

Also Germans are much more active/into sport, walk or cycle places etc

Many overweight people (estimated millions) are also pre diabetic, diabetic and hypertensive.
They just don't know it yet.

@Ifailed

No-one has yet mentioned that the UK also has a high proportion of black and South Asian communities, who we know are more at risk.

Really? South Asia clearly have more South Asian communities than the UK, yet their death rates are much lower than the UK. Likewise Africa.

Asia and Africa are not so affected by the covid virus generally, as are Europe and the Americas. It is supposed to be because they have had viruses in the past, more closely related to covid , so have more immunity.

The link on page 1 to obesity rates by country says that New Zealand has a much higher obesity rate than the UK.

Have a look at this.

Yes it’s a huge factor! We are the fattest nation in Europe. We see exercise as optional!

We have had gyms closed, sports courts fenced off, people fined for jogging and cycling yet the ques for macdonalds clog up all the way out onto the main road where I live! Pretty much speaks volumes.

@Katie517 Except it doesn’t speak volumes at all. Have a look at the post above.

You might want to read up a bit on "Dr" Joshua Wolrich before using him to prove any point.

@doireallyneedaname we can agree to disagree.

Being overweight is not healthy no matter what some people say. It puts strain on your body and visceral fat around the organs makes it harder for them to work. It also weakens the immune system. I don’t think it is a coincidence that a high proportion of those who have suffered the most with covid or died from it who do not fall into the elderly category have been overweight. Your body is not there to be abused you have to eat the right foods and exercise if you want to be healthy and for your body to work as it should. That’s just common sense.

@StepOutOfLine I have. I’ve been following him for some time now.

Not sure what you’re reading?

@Katie517 The evidence doesn’t back that up, so it’s not really a “agree to disagree” kinda thing 🤷‍♀️

*14BlackCatShadow

I think it's interesting that Japan has a very low death rate. I think around 7,000 deaths, despite having a high population density and high proportion of elderly. It does have a much lower rate of obesity.*

I haven't been to Japan for many years, but my experience then suggested that the Japanese are also far better at following rules than we are, and I would imagine were wearing masks from the very start of this. Their diet is, of course, healthier than ours with lower rates of obesity, as you say, but I should imagine that all these factors have contributed to their low mortality rate.

@Whatafool123

*14BlackCatShadow

I think it's interesting that Japan has a very low death rate. I think around 7,000 deaths, despite having a high population density and high proportion of elderly. It does have a much lower rate of obesity.*

I haven't been to Japan for many years, but my experience then suggested that the Japanese are also far better at following rules than we are, and I would imagine were wearing masks from the very start of this. Their diet is, of course, healthier than ours with lower rates of obesity, as you say, but I should imagine that all these factors have contributed to their low mortality rate.

98% of Japanese, are Japanese. So also a very homogenous society.

All the studies I can find say your chances of dying of Covid doubles if your BMI is 40 or over

www.heart.org/en/news/2020/11/17/covid-19-patients-of-all-ages-with-obesity-face-higher-risk-of-complications-death

@Whatafool123

I haven't been to Japan for many years, but my experience then suggested that the Japanese are also far better at following rules than we are, and I would imagine were wearing masks from the very start of this. Their diet is, of course, healthier than ours with lower rates of obesity, as you say, but I should imagine that all these factors have contributed to their low mortality rate.

The situation in Japan is very different from The UK. There is no strict lockdown. Businesses are open, but some have reduced hours. People can travel freely, visit family. Go to the supermarket or restaurants as a family. Working from home is encouraged, but not essential. Schools are open. Yes, most people do wear masks. Kids aged 3 and over are expected to wear masks at school/nursery. Kids eat lunch in the classroom, so teachers watch them and make sure they don't talk while eating and their masks off. I haven't seen anyone in the supermarket without a mask, except babies.

So, Japan doesn't have a strict lockdown, but has lower rates of obesity and people are generally healthier and more active than the UK. Furthermore, everyone who tests positive is hospitalised either in a hospital or a special hotel. Everyone! Even if they have no symptoms. I can't help but think that this is a major factor in the low death rate in Japan too as people with covid are being monitored very closely.

However, if you compare countries like the US and Canada. They have many similarities, but a very different death rate, so I think this is mostly due to Canada's stricter measures.

It is almost definitely a combination of factors. The Japanese people would never stand for a strict lockdown like the UK, but British people would never stand for universal mask wearing and compulsory hospitalisation like Japan. I feel people are right when they said the UK hit a perfect storm. High obesity, lots of health problems, slow government response, low rates of medical treatment. The UK does have a strict lockdown, but I suspect low rates of compliance. Even my parents, who are quite sensible and careful have visited friends for a coffee and had the neighbor over for lunch.

So tiresome that people stereotype Japanese as rule followers. Probably it’s just their general good health that has saved them:

thediplomat.com/2021/01/japan-faces-its-worst-covid-19-outbreak-yet/

Not that we really know their infection numbers. You couldn’t get a test unless you were proven to be in contact with a COVID+ person. Or you had the money to get tested yourself (not subsidised at all). It’s just a bit better since the new year because many other countries now require a negative test for entry.

Japan did almost everything wrong, so scientists are definitely going to pour over the Japanese data to figure out why.

I don’t understand how anyone is surprised at this. It’s been known for months.

Has we said in February - can everyone please try to lose weight now - and given them vitamin d - we might have far fewer deaths

But obesity has always been a risk factor for most disease - covid just kills quicker than Type 2 diabetes or cancer.

[quote doireallyneedaname]@Katie517 The evidence doesn’t back that up, so it’s not really a “agree to disagree” kinda thing 🤷‍♀️[/quote]
Well everything I've heard and seen shows that after advanced age, obesity is a massive risk factor for bad outcomes with covid. While the article I saw in the Times was anecdote, not scientific data I am 100% sure that the scientific data backs up that fact.

And the UK population appears to be very unhealthy judging by the sheer numbers of people told to shield. It's shocking.

Furthermore, everyone who tests positive is hospitalised either in a hospital or a special hotel. Everyone

I think this may be the case in Singapore, too.

Yes it’s common knowledge, yet there are still people on here that doubt it. Are people with a BMI 40 or over in the vulnerable list for the vaccine now?

48% of people have put on weight in lockdowns due to comfort eating and drinking

And we've not exactly encouraged exercise with stupid arguments over "driving for exercise" or fining people for meeting 5 miles from their homes. When I was out for a run yesterday I saw that the disinformation that runners all have covid and are trailing it 20m behind them is widespread with people still leaping into hedges to avoid me despite the infection rate where I live now being close to zero.

I know @poppycat10, we were sent home last week by Police at 2 miles from our home as it was “not essential” (we’d driven 2 miles as we are tired of the same walks, and starting 2 miles up the road was a (short lived) adventure

It’s not just weight - so many British people have atrociously unhealthy diets, drink far too much alcohol and exercise very little. Add to that the unreliable weather - you can never rely on weather being suitable for either winter sports or enjoyable outdoor summer activities. Stress levels caused by the obscene cost of basic accommodation, ageing and inadequate infrastructure and services, and insecure employment, add to the problems - quality of life is poor for a great many people, making the effort of trying to get fit when you’ll still be stressed and miserable, a bigger hurdle than it might be if you thought you could get a bit more enjoyment out of being thinner and fitter.

@CoffeeBerry

There were probably more people in this country who caught covid with untreated hypertension and t2 diabetes than in countries where they are called for regular checkups.

Out of interest, how many countries do the regular checkups, do you know?

It is also REALLY important to compare Data standards around the world
This : about lack of central birth and death records in Africa
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-55674139
This about the fact that Tanzania has refused to report to the WHO since last May
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56145510