Obesity epidemic ‘could see more heart attacks and stroke deaths’
DEATHS FROM heart attacks and strokes could rise as the obesity epidemic takes its toll, experts have warned.
A new study by European heart experts – including academics at the University of Leeds – has said dietary “indiscretions” and physical inactivity are driving the rising tide of obesity and diabetes in high-income countries, which in turn could lead to increases in the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases. In the paper, published in the
European Heart Journal, the authors examine cardiovascular disease across Europe and state that declines in cardiovascular deaths over the last 50 years are now being “threatened”. The researchers also found the UK is lagging behind many lower-income countries in some aspects of heart disease prevention, with some of the highest levels of obesity in Europe.
According to the findings, the UK has the highest prevalence of adult obesity in men with 26.8 per cent classed as obese, compared to an average of 21.4 per cent among 47 countries.
The UK also had the secondhighest level of obesity in women, the third highest prevalence of “insufficiently active adults” and in 2014, 3.9 per cent of British adults had diabetes.
The study researchers wrote: “The emerging obesity epidemic affecting high-income countries, driven by physical inactivity and dietary indiscretion, needs determined action if the steep downward trend in cardiovascular mortality that has occurred in the last 50 years is to be maintained.”
Chris Gale, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Leeds and a co-author in the study, said: “Whilst the UK has seen a decline in deaths due to cardiovascular disease, one should not lose sight of the fact that key risk factors for cardiovascular disease are on the upturn.
“In particular, in the UK we have seen an increase in the incidence of diabetes and childhood obesity.”
He said tackling the “epidemic” of obesity and type two diabetes “must be an NHS and public health priority” to ensure the UK continues to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and that a “legacy” of stroke, heart disease and heart attacks is prevented.