Overweight countries have highest coronavirus death rates: Report

A new report has found that nations with a high overweight population have the highest death rates from novel coronavirus.

Nearly 2.2 million of the 2.5 million fatalities from Covid-19 were in countries with high levels of overweight people, the report from the World Obesity Federation said.

Countries including the UK, the US and Italy, where over 50 per cent of adults are overweight, have the biggest proportions of Covid-linked deaths.

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Death rates are 10 times more in nations where over half the adults had a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25kg/m2, a figure from where overweight starts.

Belgium ranks first in terms of the highest level of deaths amongst nations where over 50 per cent of the adult population is overweight.

It is followed by Slovenia and the UK.

Italy and Portugal rank fifth and sixth in the list, while the US is placed at the eighth spot.

Vietnam, which has the second least coronavirus death rate globally, has the lowest level of overweight.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the report must act as a wake-up call for governments to take measures to control overweight.

"Investment in public health and coordinated, international action to tackle the root causes of obesity is one of the best ways for countries to build resilience in health systems post-pandemic: we urge all countries to seize this moment," he said.