Obesity rates are down. Is that because of weight-loss drugs?

Results from a recent survey have prompted questions.

See full article...

 

[SimonRev]

I’ve been tempted to talk to my doctor about something similar as I’m probably double my ideal weight right now. I’ve been trying to exercise more but I know for the last year or so I’ve been eating way too much junk as a coping mechanism. Thankfully I’m starting to get that under control but still struggle at times.

This illustrates a separate but very related problem of mental health support in the USA. Too often it is not covered / under-covered by health insurance. I remember when my son was diagnosed on the Autism spectrum having to jump through hoops with his therapist because our insurance wouldn't cover Autism therapy, but would cover anxiety support. Certainly support for people (including myself) who self-mediate through eating would improve overall health outcomes.

Not suggesting that there is a once size fits all solution. I would see mental health assistance, GLP-1 blockers, and improved exercise/diet as complementary paths to health -- one that would need to be very personally tailored to an individual's situation.

(There is also a high correlation between the "you can't lose weight 'cause y'all suck at self control" and "only wimps need to talk to therapist" crowds).

 

[SimonRev]

Why so many downvotes? If I said something utterly stupid , then I would appreciate if someone englightened me about my error

Probably because you said something out in left field without providing any evidence. It isn't self evident at all that COVID killed obese people at a high enough rate to make anything close to a difference. COVID seems to have killed roughly 1 million Americans. While it seems plausible that COVID mortality rates in the obese population is higher than the general population, unless nearly 100% of COVID deaths were on the overweight population, it couldn't have made that kind of difference.

 

[SimonRev]

When trying to find the cause, the article seems to ignore a rather plausible explanation that the pandemic killed off a cohort of the most unhealthy.

Maybe because coronavirus is more likely to kill obese people and a lot of Americans died from the virus

Okay, is there something going around the conservative conspiracy circles that I haven't heard yet? We have had multiple similar ones. They have a bit of "they were fat and deserved to die" kind of vibe going on.