Younger CVD deaths linked to rising obesity

Australia is witnessing a growing number of heart-related disease deaths linked to obesity, overweight and unhealthy lifestyles – with the age of these people decreasing.
 
Findings from a recently published Melbourne University study reveal that preventable deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) have increased by 19% in men and 13% in women in less than a decade, with these deaths growing the fastest among adults younger than 55.
 
The study measures recent trends in premature overweight and obesity-related CVD mortality in Australia from 2007 to 2022 and the related socio-economic inequalities.
 
Examining these deaths among people aged 35–74 years, it found rates are highest within the 35–54 age group and those who are the most socio-economically disadvantaged.
 
Study lead Professor Tim Adair, a demographer at the University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health, said these results ‘closely mirror’ Australia’s increasing obesity prevalence and represent the clearest evidence to date of the link to mortality rates.
 
‘The trends are related to this generation having experienced higher long-term obesity prevalence in childhood and young adulthood than previous generations,’ he told newsGP.
 
Professor Adair says the gap between premature CVD death rates in more advantaged areas has widened in recent years, noting a ‘stark discrepancy’.
 
Obesity prevalence among more socio-economically disadvantaged areas is linked to economic and environmental factors, he says, such as convenient and affordable unhealthy food options and a ‘lack of walkability’ in local neighbourhoods.
 
‘Of course, diet and physical inactivity are important, however these behaviours occur within the broader context of the environment people live in,’ Professor Adair said.
 
‘Levels and trends in CVD death rates are worse in lower socio-economic neighbourhoods – in these areas unhealthy food options are widely available and relatively cheap and there is commonly a heavy reliance on cars as transport which can make being physically active more challenging.’
 
Also acknowledging the growing popularity and clinical approval of weight-loss medications such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies, Professor Adair says underlying social, economic and environmental factors contributing to obesity-related premature deaths still need to be addressed – with GPs well placed to do this.
 
‘While weight-loss drugs have been demonstrated to have benefits in clinical settings, there remains accessibility issues for much of the population due to their cost, and their longer-term benefit at the population level is still unknown,’ he said.
 
‘Education of patients about how preventive lifestyle factors, such as a healthy diet and sufficient exercise, can manage obesity and improve cardiovascular health remains essential.’
 
Overweight and obesity recently overtook smoking as Australia’s leading modifiable risk factor, accounting for 8.3% of the total impact of people dying early and living with illness.
 
With the study’s findings reflecting a global ‘urgent public health concern’, Professor Adair warns that without action, high obesity prevalence will have a ‘significant detrimental long-term impact’ on mortality.
 
‘Intake of fruit and vegetables and physical activity among much of the Australian population remains below recommended levels, so continued promotion of these as interventions to reduce the risk of adverse CVD events is essential,’ he said.
 
‘However, at a broader level, interventions to improve accessibility to healthy food, reduce fast food advertising and improve the walkability of local neighbourhoods to facilitate more physical activity are important.
 
‘These interventions rely on collaborations between multiple sectors, such as the health sector, local government and the food industry.’
 
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cardiovascular disease CVD heart disease modifiable risk factors overweight and obesity preventable deaths preventive health