The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released a new report which offers dire health warnings for the U.S. as a whole, particularly in regard to obesity.
According to the OECD, which includes the world’s most developed economies, some 75 percent of the U.S. population could be overweight or obese in just a decade. This trend has been growing rapidly since the 1980s, and shows little sign of slowing despite increasing attention to the problem from government officials and healthcare leaders.
“The lifespan of an obese person is up to 8-10 years shorter (for a BMI of 40-45) than that of a normal-weight person, mirroring the loss of life expectancy suffered by smokers,” stated the report.
The OECD report went on to point out that people who lead healthy lifestyles and avoid obesity as well as tobacco use are four times likely to end up dying prematurely. Overweight people also see their risk of death increase by 30 percent for every additional 15 kilograms they weigh, which amounts to 9.2 pounds.
This elevated risk of early death is the main reason that life insurance companies tend to charge more for premiums of those suffering from obesity-related illnesses.