Obesity and COVID-19: Blame isn't a strategy

Abstract

On July 27th, 2020, the UK government released the new national strategy for tackling obesity. In big bold font, the heading of the official press release urges people to “Lose weight to beat COVID-19 and protect the NHS”. In the first 4 months of the pandemic, England witnessed the greatest rate of excess deaths in Europe. According to a New York Times analysis, between March 14 and July 17, 2020, the UK has had 62 600 more deaths, a 31% increase, compared with the same period last year. Obesity, along with other chronic conditions such as diabetes, is a recognised risk factor for severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19. The new obesity strategy, published alongside the ‘Better Health’ campaign, led by Public Health England, intends to restrict advertisements and promotions of unhealthy foods, improve nutritional labelling of foods and drinks in restaurants and stores, and expand weight management services. The ambition for a healthier nation, during and beyond COVID-19, is to be praised. However, at a time where our economies are fragile, bans on food promotions and advertisements could also result in higher prices and growing inequalities, which themselves contribute to obesity and poor health outcomes. Equally troubling, by targeting almost exclusively the obesogenic environment, and only a small part of it, the new policies fail to take into account the intricacy of biological, societal, and psychological factors that underpin obesity. The suggestion that it is necessary to lose weight to “reduce pressure on doctors and nurses in the NHS, and free up their time to treat other sick and vulnerable patients”, communicated in the policy document, is also one of the most glaring examples of health promotion strategies that draws on guilt and shame. Past Public Health history has shown that such campaigns are ineffective and even detrimental. The COVID-19 culture has become a blame culture. The obesity rates in England are concerning, but they are not the main culprit for the nation's high COVID-19 death toll. Let's not forget that people with obesity are vulnerable patients too. For the UK's strategy to tackle Obesity see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-obesity-government-strategy/tackling-obesity-empowering-adults-and-children-to-live-healthier-lives For the Press Release of UK's strategy to tackle Obesity see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-obesity-strategy-unveiled-as-country-urged-to-lose-weight-to-beat-coronavirus-covid-19-and-protect-the-nhs For the New York Times analysis on excessive deaths see https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/world/europe/UK-deaths-coronavirus-europe.html For the Better Health campaign see https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/