Obesity deaths surged in the noughties

Added on 22/02/10

Author: Graham Pembrey

The verdict is out. As a nation, Britain’s poor dietary practises lead to a dramatic rise in the number of weight-related deaths last decade. This is the opinion of a number of researchers from Oxford University and the findings stem from a recent study of a detailed collation of death certificates.

Deaths where obesity was listed as a ‘contributory factor’ by doctors more than doubled between 2000 and 2009, from 358 to 757. And the researchers say this is only part of the picture because weight would not always have been recorded on certificates as a major cause of death - even when that was, ultimately, what led to the fatality.

They warn that people may not be realising how closely linked obesity is with fatal conditions. This can be particularly true in the early stages of obesity when people are often oblivious to the dangers of weight gain. Obesity “creeps up on them” said Professor Alan Mayon-Davis from the Faculty of Public Health.

Doctors may also be guilty of ignoring the possible links between patient deaths and obesity. However, more and more doctors are listing obesity as a direct cause of death.

A ticking time bomb

The surge in obesity-related deaths coincides with a prediction from the Scottish government that the “ticking time bomb of obesity” could affect 40% of the country by 2030. Looking at the wider situation, obesity is still a raging epidemic across the whole of Britain, with a quarter of adults overweight or obese. The cost to the taxpayer? £3 billion a year, the NHS reports.

Public health initiatives from the government are attempting to tackle this crisis. But ultimately, the task of reducing the nation's weight rests on the shoulders of individual members of the public and their decisions about eating more healthily and exercising more regularly. Bearing in mind the long-term consequences for your health, there is no better time than now to lose weight. If you would like advice about weight loss, consulting a trained professional is the best first step to take.