Experts now say obesity is one of the main causes of deadly strokes in the UK. Before smoking was one of the main factors but now, being overweight is seen as a major contributing factor.
While the percentage of the population who smoke has dropped, obesity is getting worse – with the Sun reporting one in three of us is now deemed overweight.
According to the Stroke association, hospital admissions for strokes (in men aged 40-54) went up to 6,221 last year, compared to 4,260 in 2000. For women in the same age bracket, this number rose to 4,602 from 3,529. The number of people under 65 suffering from strokes has also risen by a quarter in the last 15 years.
John Barrick from the Stroke Association said the figures were “a sad indictment of the current state of the UK’s health,” before saying: “There is an alarming increase in the numbers of people having a stroke in working age. These figures show that stroke can no longer be seen as a disease of older people. As the figures show, it can happen to anyone at any time”
He added: “Rising numbers of overweight people help explain the increase among the middle-aged. We’ve known for some time that obesity levels in the UK have been on the rise, putting thousands at increased risk of a stroke. There are now concerns that excess weight could replace smoking as the major killer of adults in the near future.
It’s believed that over 150,000 of the UK population suffer a stroke every year. If you’d like to learn more about the risk factors, visit The Stroke Association.