Quote:
Originally Posted by pocketkangaroo
We have a higher infant mortality rate than most countries in this world (even worse than many 3rd world countries). That has nothing to do with obesity.
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That is true and a very important point I would agree with you on. It is something to improve upon. Low birth weight issues are a primary cause of infant mortality in the US. it's interesting as my daughter was born 3 months early and received a month of medical attention at a major hospital and no one asked me anything about my ability to pay. She received all the care she needed. Of course we already have medicaid coverage for poor pregnant women so it is not clear government sponsored healthcare would help at all. Sudden Infant death Syndrome is the leading cause of infant death deaths once the child leaves the hospital. To what should that be attributed? Would increased health care help? I doubt it.
However, this factor in no way negates the huge effect that obesity has on life expectancy. Go look at the obesity % by country and the average number of years life is reduced. You are talking aout 1/4 of the country losing an average as high as 13 years of life to obesity.