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

Life expectancy is heavily influenced by infant mortality. As a simplified example, 100 people living to 98 years old have the same average life expectancy as 98 of them living to 100 and 2 of them dying before their first birthday. Even if we all die a few years younger, it only takes a few saved babies to cancel that out.