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?
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Lifespans are a result of a lot of different factors, not just obesity. The main factors are gender, genetics, access to health care, hygiene, diet and nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and crime rates. Obviously war and other tumult can have a very dramatic impact on lifespan. The US has the 46th highest life expectancy in the world, meaning 45 countries have a higher life expectancy than them. The US also has the 12th highest obesity rate in the world, meaning only 11 countries have a higher obesity rate than them. The US does have a higher life expectancy than many other countries with lower obesity rates mostly because of access to health care. Unfortunately, the US has a very low life expectancy compared to nations with similar development status, largely due to limits on access to healthcare because of cost and their much higher obesity rates.
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