World Obesity’s report,
COVID-19 and Obesity: The 2021 Atlas, demonstrates how being overweight is a highly significant predictor of developing complications from COVID-19, including the need for hospitalization, intensive care and mechanical ventilation. Being overweight is also a predictor of death from COVID-19.
Notably, of the 2.5 million COVID-19 deaths reported by the end of February 2021, 2.2 million were in countries where more than half the population is classified as overweight.
World Obesity acknowledges the figures are incomplete and are impacted by factors like border control, population density and vaccination.
“Nonetheless, our findings have serious public health implications. The figures are affected by the age structure of national populations and a country’s relative wealth and reporting capacity, but our findings appear to be independent of these contributory factors,” write the authors.
UK food makers surpass CO₂ reduction targets 5 years early, set new goals Members of the Food and Drink Federation have achieved a 55% reduction in CO₂ emissions five years ahead of schedule, prompting a revision of sustainability targets.
2021 marks five years since the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents manufacturers in the UK, launched its Ambition 2025 project.
Ambition 2025 challenges FDF members to achieve sustainability targets across a range of areas, including carbon, food waste, packaging, and water.
Yesterday (23 February), the membership organisation released its 2020 progress report, revealing ‘exceptional progress’ in some areas, and prompting a revaluation of its sustainability targets.
By JULIAN SHEA in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2021-01-07 09:24 Share CLOSE Gary Marshall of Bevington Salads and the Chairman of the Tenants Association holds a box of fruit at his stall in New Covent Garden Market, in London, on Monday. Wholesale fruit and vegetables traders are expecting there will be shortages as a result of the Brexit deal. [ALBERTO PEZZALI/AP]
Leading food and drink industry figures on both sides of the English Channel have expressed concern at how goods from the European Union that are processed at distribution hubs in the United Kingdom now face heavy tariffs when re-exported to the EU, because of the terms of the Brexit trade deal.