The Truth About Obesity - Richard Vardon
BBC Radio 4s The Investigation
Response from the National Obesity Forum
The BBC claims to provide factual reporting and to deal with issues facing
society in a fair and balanced way. If this is so then the above programme fell
far short of these aspirations.
Any truly investigative programme should be approached by the
investigator(s) with a totally open mind. The issues should be dealt with
impartially allowing the audience to reach an informed conclusion.
In dealing with obesity the investigator, Richard Vardon, approached the
subject with pre-judged conclusions and then used the well known journalistic
technique of using selected clips from pre-recorded interviews to substantiate
his case.
The result was that the programme told listeners more about his prejudices
than about the impact of obesity on mortality, morbidity and quality of life,
about which there is a wealth of evidence.
While he rightly exposed the limits of using BMI as a measure of obesity he
failed to emphasise the importance of considering bodily composition and the
key role of visceral fat.
Obesity linked conditions are responsible for about 30,000 deaths a year,
many of which are premature and it shortens life expectancy by an average of
9 years. (1)
It is associated with at least 45 co-morbidities among which are some of the
biggest killers in modern society, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and
certain cancers. (2)
In the massive Nurses Health Study (a cohort of 115,915 women followed
over 16 years) it was found that 53% of all deaths in women with a BMI >29
kg/m² all were directly linked to their obesity. (3)
Obesity and Morbidity
Currently obesity and overweight account for about 85% of cases of type 2
diabetes. (1) In the Interheart Study excess visceral fat ranked as a major risk
factor for coronary heart disease. (4)
In fact as the following table shows there is hardly a system in the human
body, which is not adversely affected by obesity.
|
Impact of Obesity on Bodily Systems
|
|
Cardiovascular System |
Hypertension
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Deep vein thrombosis
Varicose veins
|
|
Gastrointestinal System |
Hiatus hernia
Choletithiasis
Fatty liver, non-alcoholic
steatosis, cirrhosis and cancer
Colorectal cancer
|
|
Respiratory System |
Sleep apnoea
Breathlessness
|
|
Musculo-skeletal System |
Osteoarthritis
Slipped femoral epiphysis
|
|
Reproduction System |
Breast cancer
Endometrial cancer
Obstetric complications
Fungal infections
|
|
Urological System |
Stress incontinence
|
Social Consequences of Obesity
Obese people, like those with physical handicaps, wear their problem for all to
see yet unlike that group are held responsible for this condition. (6)
Prejudice against fat people starts at school, affects their jobs and social
opportunities and is so perverse that it can even colour the attitudes of health
professionals.
|
Economic Costs of Obesity Related Conditions in 2007
|
|
Diabetes |
£2.00 billion |
|
Coronary heart disease |
£3.90 billion
|
|
Stroke
|
£4.70 billion |
|
Colorectal cancer
|
£0.45 billion |
|
Breast cancer
|
£0.27 billion |
|
NHS costs (all related diseases)
|
£17.4 billion |
The World Health Organisation despite its historical emphasis on malnutrition
has repeatedly called for “urgent action” to combat the growing epidemic of
obesity which now affects developing and industrialised countries alike. (7)
Conclusion
Visceral obesity is rising in prevalence at an alarming rate in both adults and
children. It poses a very real threat to the health and well being of many
people and is becoming a major burden on health services. Richard Vardon
and the BBC by taking a prejudiced stance on obesity and using journalistic
licence to justify it, have rendered the public a major disservice.
References
1. National Audit Office (2001) – Tackling Obesity in England (London
Stationary Office).
2. Prentice, A (1977) in Ed. Finer N. Obesity. British Medical Bulletin
(1997) 53 (No.2) pp.229-237.
3. Manson, J.E., Willett, WC, Stampfer M.J. et al (1996) Body Weight and
Mortality among women. New England Journal of Medicine 333: 677-
685.
4. Yusaf. S., Hawken, S Cupon S et al Obesity and the Risk of Myocardial
Infarction in 27,000 participants in 52 Countries a case controlled
study, Lancet 2005; 366: 1640 – 49.
5. Jung. R., Obesity the Disease. In Ed. Finer N. Obesity. British
Medical Bulletin (1997) 353 (No. 2) 307-321.
6. Worley S.C. Wosley O.N., Dyvenforth S.R. 1979 (b). Theoretical,
practical and social issues in behavioural treatments of obesity.
Journal Applied Behaviour Analysis; 12: 3-25.
7. Foresight (2007) Tackling Obesity – Future Choices. Government
Office for Science Table 3 p.30.
