Drop in Smoking Rates Connected to Surge in Obesity

During the past few years there has been a significant reduction in smoking among women. But there is another health risk which has seen an upward trend – obesity. The study also found that obesity was more common among women who had never smoked in their lives, irrespective of their status in society.

"The results suggest the decline in smoking rates in recent decades may have contributed to the increase in overweight and obesity. Although lifelong smoking is clearly responsible for much higher mortality rates, obesity, and especially severe obesity, is an important contributor to premature mortality. The healthcare consequences of increased morbidity from diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and other complications are also considerable,” researchers said.



Source-Medindia