These include the effect excess fat tissue has on vital organs like the heart, lungs and liver, increased inflammation and decreased immune response to infection. There are likely to be several reasons why people living with obesity are at a greater risk of being seriously ill, and dying, from COVID-19. These risks increase progressively as an individual’s body mass index ( BMI) increases. Īs Public Health England’s ( PHE’s) recent assessment has made clear, new evidence in the UK and internationally, indicates that being overweight or living with obesity is associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation, severe symptoms, advanced levels of treatment such as mechanical ventilation or admission to Intensive Care Units and death from COVID-19. In the last few months we have seen that being overweight or living with obesity puts you at risk of dying from COVID-19. We have known for decades that living with obesity reduces life expectancy and increases the chance of serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Helping people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is one of the most important things we can do to improve our nation’s health. It is the start of this government’s effort to shift healthcare to focus more on public health and prevention. Today we are announcing a new set of policies that starts to change this environment to empower people to make the healthier choices they want to make and give the full support of the NHS to people who are overweight and who want to lose weight. But we’ve also heard that there are some things where they need our help. We’ve heard from people up and down the country who want to help themselves. We are biologically programmed to eat and when we are bombarded by advertisements and promotions for food – it’s hard to eat healthily, especially if we are busy or tired or stressed. When we eat out, we have little information about how many calories are in the food we are offered. In supermarkets, special offers and promotions tempt us to buy foods that are not on the shopping list but are hard to resist. Many people have tried to lose weight but struggle in the face of endless prompts to eat – on TV and on the high street. Lots of people who are overweight or living with obesity want to lose weight but find it hard. Obesity has become an immediate concern for anyone who is overweight and for our health and care services. But worryingly, there is now consistent evidence that people who are overweight or living with obesity who contract coronavirus (COVID-19) are more likely to be admitted to hospital, to an intensive care unit and, sadly to die from COVID-19 compared to those of a healthy body weight status. Our country’s rates of obesity are storing up future problems for individuals and our NHS. It is a risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, at least 12 kinds of cancer, liver and respiratory disease, and obesity can impact on mental health. Obesity is associated with reduced life expectancy. This is sowing the seeds of adult diseases and health inequalities in early childhood. Ĭhildren in the most deprived parts of the country are more than twice as likely to be obese as their peers living in the richest areas. Obesity prevalence is highest amongst the most deprived groups in society. We have 1 in 3 children leaving primary school who are already overweight or living with obesity with 1 in 5 living with obesity. Today, around two-thirds ( 63% of adults are above a healthy weight, and of these half are living with obesity. Tackling obesity is one of the greatest long-term health challenges this country faces.
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