SAEDNEWS: Deaths from cardiovascular disease linked to overweight and obesity are rising among younger Australians, particularly in disadvantaged communities, new research has revealed.
According to SAEDNEWS, A new study published in BMC Medicine has found that premature deaths from cardiovascular disease linked to overweight and obesity are rising among adults aged 35 to 74, particularly in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.
According to a statement released Friday by the University of Melbourne, researchers analyzed Australian Bureau of Statistics death certificate data from 2007 to 2022. The findings show that communities with lower socio-economic status are disproportionately affected.
The study considered contributing causes of death such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, lipid disorders, and hypertension, Xinhua reported.
“These death rates are increasing fastest in younger adults, and we know this generation has experienced higher long-term obesity prevalence in childhood and young adulthood than previous generations,” said Professor Tim Adair, a demographer at the Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne.
Researchers also found that premature cardiovascular deaths related to overweight and obesity are significantly higher in disadvantaged areas. The gap between these communities and more affluent ones has widened in recent years, driven by factors such as the availability of cheap unhealthy food and poor neighborhood walkability.
While weight-loss medications may help reduce obesity rates, Adair emphasized that addressing broader social, economic, and environmental conditions is crucial to preventing premature deaths.
He described obesity-related premature mortality as “a global problem and an urgent public health concern.”
