Obesity crisis will shorten the lives of Australian children by four years

Mar 5 2008

New Australian research predicts that children who are fat can expect to die four years earlier than their thinner peers.

The research by scientists at the University of Western Australia has found that Australians with a body mass index over 30, will live for between 3.5 and 4.5 years less.

They say the obesity epidemic will attribute to so many deaths that the average life expectancy of the entire Australian population will decrease by two years.

At present the life expectancies for Australians are 80 years for men and 84 for women.

Even the overweight with a BMI between 25 and 30, have a six-month shorter than average life expectancy.

Professor Mike Daube, director of the Perth-based Public Health Advocacy Institute which commissioned the report, says the situation was "a public catastrophe" which calls for tough action.

Professor Daube says governments must be willing to take on the vested interests of groups such as the junk food industry.

Daube says Australians live in a country with one of the longest life expectancies on earth and should be increasing it, not reducing it.

It is estimated that as many as 9,500 Australian premature deaths are because of excess weight and currently almost a quarter of Australian children and adolescents are estimated to be overweight, with one in four who are obese.

Experts believe that if the obesity trends continue, a generation of men now aged 20 can expect to lose 1.72 years from their life expectancy, while women will average 2.17 years less.

Professor Daube has praised the Victorian Government for leading the way on tobacco controls and seatbelt laws and he hopes state and federal governments will work together for long-term answers to a new generational epidemic.

Pediatricians say the findings support international research and emphasise the need for cultural change.

Obese people are at risk of cardiovascular disease, at high risk of diabetes and metabolic problems and at higher risk of renal disease and most cancers, and all reduce life expectancy.

The Australian Medical Association says prevention is the best way to tackle rising obesity rates and government action and public health campaigns were needed to support any preventative measures and specific national goals are needed for preventing and reducing obesity.

The AMA says less than 2 per cent of health spending by all Australian governments goes to prevention and that needs to be dramatically increased in order to deal with the epidemics that put children at risk.

Professor Daube, says the data is important because it is based specifically on an Australian sample whereas much of the recent research has been based on international data.

The report was prepared by researchers from the School of Population Health at the University of Western Australia.