sornsizote hitpsilwww.medscape.comMlewarilel919771_print sewmedscane com Being Overweight Wipes 4 Years From Life, New Report Reveals Lise Nainggolan October 11,2019 ‘A.naw report on obesity from the Organisation fo Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) makes for grim reading it details that even just being ‘overweight wil slash almost 3 years from Ife expectancy, on average, wih hs figure sing to 4 years inthe United States. ‘A decade ago, across the 36 nations inthe OECD, on average one in five individuals was obese. That Fgure now stands a one in four, meaning an acdtional 0 milion people ive with obesity. And three of five people Iving in wealthy rations are considered overweght. In some countries the statistics are even worse. Inthe UK, for example to in three people are overweight and one in three is obese. Andin the United States, a8 igures revealod last month, almost 40% of adults ane nearly 20% of Kiss are obese, In this its frst report on obesity fr 10 years, the OECD stresses how nations can reap economic benefis, as well as pubic health gains, rom investing in fective svatogis to combat rising obesity fates. “Policies aimed at reforming the obesogenic environment are the mest important, and they are an excelent investment,” Michele Cecchini, lead economist for public heath at OECD, old a London press briefing held yesterday to aunch tho report and to coincide with World Obesity Day on October 1. “Since our intl report a decade ago, we have made quite a lot of progress — certainly in terms of awareness fabout obesity, and certainly in terms of ‘goverment poli and awareness of industry” added Francesca Colombo, head of the Healt Division atthe OECD. “But whet we have cone isnot enough. Overweight and obesity take a heavy tll on the economy. It's really qute a stkng picture she emphesized “And childhood and morbid obosty have gone trom a are evento @ common occurrence. Obesity now poses an alarming burden on individuals, socites, and economies in OECD counties and beyond” the report concludes Obesity Will Reduce Economic Growth; Gan Physicians Help? Inthe 250-page document ented, “The Heavy Burden of Obesity: The Economics of Prevention, the OECD predicts how obesty and its related heath complatons wil reduce annual economic growth n ts member nations, which nlude the United States, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, lial, Portugal, Spal, Chil, and Mexco. (On average, 50% of people have an unhealthy det, 40% of waking tie is spent in sedentary activites, one in tree people dont do enough physical activity, and two in fve dont eat enough fut and vegetables, ‘Asa result, unless the tdeis tuned, over the next 30 yoars nearly 60% af all new dabetes cases willbe caused by overweight, as well as 18%, 11%, and 1% ofall cases of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and cancer, respectvely This will esultn 462 millon new eases of carciovascula disease and 212 millon cases of labetes. (OECD countries wil therefore spend, on average, $209 per person annually on eating high body mass index and ils related conditions. “The United States, Germary, and the Nethertands will spend the most on obesity at $645, $41, and $352 per head respectively. For OECD counts on average, tis equates fo €4% of total health spending, hough tis is highly variable across nations. “The United States alone wil spend nearly 14% of sheath budget on obesity and overweight, for example, ‘Asked by Medscape Medical News atthe press brifing what ole physicians and ater healthcare workers can play, Jason Halford, PhO, ofthe University ‘of Liverpool, UK, and chair of te European Associaton for the Study of Obes, said: “By and large, physicians belove their patents are not motivated or interested losing weight] The doctors thnk nothing Seems to work, and the patent takes the Blam.” ‘And Cocehin said hes hear professionals need more man hours and motwvation to start to enact change. “Doctors, especialy general practioner, don't have time to spend on counseling [fr weigh eduction] and we dont give them the right incentives" he “There was overall agreement hal labeling obesty as a disease can only help inthis regard, although Halford noted that "it hasnt necessarily driven policy change ye. “There is bas inthe heath system and huge provider bias against obesity" he asserted Societal Costs: Every $1 Spent Tackling Obesity Will Save $6 “The sprang rat of obesity around the wor is primarily Federation, tld the assersbled press in London respon to obesogenic environments," Johanna Ralston, chief executive ofthe World Obesity CCocchin stressed that tis only with a range of pocies — such as rogulation of advertising food and menu labeling, mass mosia campaigns, prescription of physical actvty, mobile apps, seneo-based programs and worsplace wellness schemes — enacted togetner that the needle wil eal start to move. “Evory dollar spent on preventing obesily gonerates an economic return of up to six dollars, making prevention intrvertons an excallent investment aid Ceeehin “All of thse interventions coul pay for thamselves,"he stressed “Properly implemented paces do make a difference. We know what works but we are nt implementing it othe extent hati makes a diference,” sald Colombe, For example, cuting the calorie content in fattaning foods such as potato chip (ersps) and candy by 20% would avoid more than 1 millon cases of chronic disease por year. However, “Any one thing snot the answer. Youve got to do alt: Su you start doing ft, you will see changes. Halford emphasized nitps:aw-medscape.comViewartidleI919771_print 1sornsizote hitpsilwww.medscape.comMlewarilel919771_print “Butte good news fs tat ther Is momentum, and growing awareness,” said Columbo, “We Know What Works...The Devil Is in the Detail” “To show that thee is hope i governments and other stakeholders tke action the exports gave examples of poies that are working well, while nevertheless stressing tho tramondous amount of work thal sil remains lo be dan. ‘Among the most eflactveintatve fr fighing obesity is ragulation of advertising of unhealthy food, with move than $5 in rtumn Investment foreach $1 spent, the OECD said ‘Almost as fective are fod labeng intaives and etforts to make worker less sedentary. “Wren it comas fo ticking boxes" enacting policies, "te devlis inthe deta," Cecchini emphasized “How s the polly designed and implemented? There are large gaps. For example, only a tiny minony of counties makes font-atlabel packaging regarding nubents compulsory” he noted Making such policies compulsory is Goomed essential or ffecting eal change, said Corina Hawkes, ret ofthe Conte for Food Policy, Cy, University of London, UK. ‘Also essential, she added, is action “in all counties” otyarwis the five to sk major mutinaional companies that produce most processed food worlwide ‘wil jus seek other market, as they da with tobacco products, she note, ‘Sho boioves “regional coloration" Is bos; or example, the whole of Latin America working togather, or Europe, or Asa, "Globalis oo big she said “The experts also emphasizes how important he targeting of crilshood overweight and obasiy wil be forthe bigger picture, and for the flu. Chilton with obesity are over five tes more thoy to have obesity as adults, wit all the atlondant probloms. Conversely, healthy weight children are 13% more likely to report good school performance, ‘And even though the oulgoing chief medical ofcr inthe UK has just his week calles for more concerted action on chilshood obesty, Ralston said ‘yesterday thal the strategy in the UK nluding ts “Atlas of Cridhood Obesity” is one of the best so farin the word ands tobe emis A.Long Way to Go but Is There Is Light at the End of the Tunnel? (ver 46 countries in the world now regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and 58 counties have implemented taxes on sugar-swestoned beverages. But the majorly ofthat regulation of advertising to cidren "is stil focused on radiional old meet said Cecchini, and “new media" — whichis increasingly ‘what children consume —Is not being regulated forthe most pat, afhaugh he singled out South Korea and the Canadian province of Quebec for ther ifort inthis area Meanwhile, Columbo singled out Chie, Mexico, and Finland for praise on food labeling, which has tobe easy to understand," she explained. ‘And Chile's Ministry of Agriculture works with a federation of stret vendors to provide access lo healthy foods in underserved areas and dlssominato Information on neathy dts 'n 2008, the European Union Council of Agtcutureinreduced a program to provide fee trl and vegetables to school children. A milk program was added in 2017 ‘And in tho United States, the Departmant of Agriculture ran Healthy Incentives Plot program in 2011 and 2012 to increase the consumption ou, ‘Vegetables, an other healthy food among people who rely ona federal subsidy, known as the Supplemental Nuon Assistance Program (SNAP) People recaived 30 cents back fr every $1 they spent on selected fut and vegetables, and participants consumed 26% mare fut and vegetables than ‘hose who had SNAP benefits ut were not given the incentive ta buy produce, Meanwfile, examples of places that have tri to make it easier for people to exercise include an Austrian program proving free yoga Plaes, and fines lasses to people ofa ages. ‘And cies such as Copenhagen, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Vienna, and New York have dedicated cycle lanes and bike-sharing programs Singapore has aleady banned consumption of anything athe than water on publ transport, and various other countries have some cestitions, Cecehin The Japanese government gives prizes each year far employers thal make work envionments healthier, and some organizations in the United States and South fica are advocating in use of standing dasks as standard for amplayess, Each action in and offset onty has a smallimpact, butt the combination of them that wil make te dfeence, sald Columbo, “There is no room for complacency. We hope nex! ima we are hee in anather decade], wa wil ba abla to show a decrease in obesity rates," she ceonched, ‘The speakers have reported no relevant nancial relationships. Follow Liso Nainggolan on Twitter: @isanainggolant. For more diabetes and endocrinology news, fallow us on Twitor and Facebook Medscape Mesical News © 2019 WebMD, LLC ‘Sond comments and nows tps to news @medscape net (Ge thi: Being Overweight Wipes 4 Years From Life, New Repor Reveals - Medscape - Oct 11,2048 nitps:vww-medscape.comViewartidleI919771_print 22