Half of Israelis are overweight, at risk of shorter life span says report
New report shows 27% of Israelis are obese and every third child is overweight or pre-obese - dramatically higher than OECD average; excess weight is said to shorten life span by 3 years and 4 months
The 250-page report also highlights the harm to one's health caused by being overweight and the heavy costs involved with taking care of these health conditions.
According to the report, 50.9% of Israelis are overweight, with 27% being obese. One in every three children (about 35%) is overweight or pre-obese – dramatically higher than the OECD average.
An overweight population takes a high toll on the economy of countries like Israel, costing an average of 3% of GDP each year. In Israel, medical costs related to excess weight amount at approximately NIS 39 billion a year.
The report also found that at least half of the population of 34 different OECD countries are overweight, with one out of every four people being obese.
From 2010 to 2016, there was a 3% rise in number of people in OECD countries suffering from obesity, which translates to 50 million people.
The report listed the impact of obesity on countries around the world: In Mexico, obesity can shorten life span by 4.2 years; in Poland and Russia by 3.9 years; in the U.S. and Hungary by 3.7 years; and in France by 2.7 years.
The report found that illnesses associated with obesity will claim the lives of approximately 90 million people in OECD countries over the next 30 years.
Dr. Raz Hagoel, a family medicine expert and medical director at Dr. Raz Medical Weight Loss Clinic warns of the dangers that Western medical systems face due to the obesity pandemic.
"Being overweight is the greatest threat to western medical systems," says Hagoel. "We must formulate a strong policy to fight obesity and provide early treatment for the accompanying illnesses".
"This is clear evidence that excess weight is the most impactful disease of the 21st century, both in terms of healthcare systems and economies in the west. We must prepare ourselves, calculate direct expence for treatment and make the treatment of this condition a national goal".
