Eli5: if obesity is so unhealthy, why do countries with high obesity rates such as US and UK generally have higher average lifespans than many countries with lower obesity rates?

Question

Eli5: if obesity is so unhealthy, why do countries with high obesity rates such as US and UK generally have higher average lifespans than many countries with lower obesity rates?

In: 2

Answer 1

Diseases like diabetes, Hypertension and obesity don’t have a cure , but they do have treatments that prolong the life a person can live with mild disability. These diseases are more prevalent in the wealthier countries who have successfully tackled the problems of communicable and deadly diseases like malaria , ebola , dengue etc third world countries are suffering from .
So although these diseases have a lower case fatality rate , their prevalence keeps on piling as new cases are recognised each day. That explains the huge number of cases of these Non Communicable Diseases yet longer average lifespans in wealthier first world countries.