The obesity crisis

This March in England and Wales, for the first time since October 2020, deaths from heart disease and dementia were higher than deaths from COVID-19. This is a welcome statistic given the events of the past year. However, it highlights the prevalence of an epidemic society has been battling for far longer: obesity, which studies suggest is directly correlated to both dementia and heart disease. 

COVID was a public health threat that governments worldwide quickly responded to with strict lockdowns and containment measures that drastically restricted civil liberties and freedoms. Obesity is a significantly deeper-rooted issue: 38.9% of adults globally are overweight, and 20.6% of children aged 5-9 globally are overweight. COVID was a disease that threatened to adversely affect particular segments of the population, and governments took action accordingly. Obesity is the same, affecting particular demographics as an issue deeply rooted in structural inequality. Why is the same degree of action not being taken? For example, in the US, Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black adults are the group most affected by obesity, which is directly linked to limited opportunities for economic, physical, and emotional health. Neighborhood design also catalyzes obesity, predominantly affecting poorer and less-developed areas with higher concentrations of residents who are ethnic minority groups.

COVID was a major public health threat, so we locked down, watching economies grind to a halt. Obesity is a deeper-embedded health issue that poses an arguably greater risk to society. Why then is the logic that was applied to tackling COVID not being applied to this prevalent disease?

Obesity is also a hugely expensive issue. In the UK, obesity costs wider society roughly £27 billion each year. By 2050, annual costs relating to overweight and obesity are estimated to rise to £9.7 billion each year, with costs to wider society rising to £49.9 billion each year. Per annum, the UK spends more on treating obesity and diabetes than it does on the police, fire service and judicial system combined. There’s also the dreadful reality that obesity can triple the risk of hospitalisation in COVID patients.

COVID was a major public health threat, so we locked down, watching economies grind to a halt. Obesity is a deeper-embedded health issue that poses an arguably greater risk to society. Why then is the logic that was applied to tackling COVID – namely fighting health threats with drastic measures – not being applied to this prevalent disease? If governments and health bodies are not prepared to take rigorous action for obesity, but were prepared to do so for COVID, then what was the point of lockdown? Either we remain consistent and take action, or we accept that there is a level of risk involved in public health issues that doesn’t justify strict measures such as lockdown.