Rise of UK obesity-related deaths

Obesity mentioned more often on death certificates

Analysis of death certificates by a team from Oxford University found a year-on-year increase in obesity-related deaths between 2000 and 2006. In addition, recent ministerial figures show 757 obesity related deaths in 2009, compared with 358 in 2000. Study leader Professor Michael Goldacre said, ‘We know, for example, obesity contributes to heart disease but if someone dies of heart disease you don’t necessarily expect doctors to note if they were obese.’ He added that ‘this shows doctors are increasingly recognising obesity as a cause of death’.

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said people in the ‘early stages’ of obesity did not often realise how dangerous being overweight could be: ‘People do not realise how closely linked it is with serious conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes.’

Source: BBC News online, 22 February 2010.

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