Report: obesity an even higher covid risk than previously thought

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The report, which has analysed obesity rates in countries around the world as well as Covid-19 deaths, also says that the death rate is ten times higher in countries where 50% or more of the population is overweight.

The authors said that 2.2 million of the 2.5 million global deaths were in countries with high levels of obesity.

They added that countries with low levels of obesity do not have high death rates, but other factors could also be at play.

The World Health Organisation said the report should act as a “wake-up call” for governments to tackle their obesity problems.

Author of the report Dr Tim Lobstein, 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 prioritised 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.

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