Is Australia is the Fattest Nation on Earth?
Well, it is according to the news reports concerning a summary issued by the Baker Heart Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia. Among the report’s key findings:
- The ‘fat bomb’ is loudly ticking in Australia with around 7 out of 10 middle-aged men and 6 out of 10 middle-aged women being overweight or obese.
- Overall, around 1.5 million middle-aged Australians are currently obese and therefore at high risk of a CV event in the longer-term.
- Based on the best available evidence, our expanded middle-aged waistlines will result in an extra 700,000 CV-related admissions in the next 20 years.
- These highly preventable admissions will conservatively cost (in today’s terms) an extra $6 billion ($2.9 billion in hospital costs alone) in health care.
- An estimated 123,000 men and women will die (many prematurely) from CVD over the next 20 years as a result of their excess weight.
- A simple strategy such as losing 5 kg in 5 months has the potential to result in 27% to 34% fewer CV-related hospital admissions and deaths over the next 20 years.
Unfortunately, even if the Aussies are Number One, the US can’t be too far behind…according to the most recent estimate (the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), 66.3 adults over the age of 20 are overweight or obese.
