5 ms·

"While this study wasn’t able to explore specific causes of death, a large body of prior research, much of it published by Khan, has found cardiovascular diseas

"While this study wasn’t able to explore specific causes of death, a large body of prior research, much of it published by Khan, has found cardiovascular disease (hypertensive disorders, heart failure and stroke) is a major contributor to poor maternal health outcomes." tl;dr: obesity ("hypertension") but why stop at maternal deaths? obesity is driving premature death rates in every category this is a national crisis but no one wants to say it out loud because someone's feelings will be hurt

lotsofpulp 2y ago
Basically every healthcare professional has been saying it out loud for decades. Its proxy, body mass index (BMI), is on every checklist and some city level political leaders have even been able to tax beverages with sugar. The Obamas, and Michelle Obama specifically, addressed it directly (14 years ago): https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/
kingkawn 2y ago
There’s also the ongoing closure of labor and delivery wards across the country, especially in rural America. There’s been an increase in retirements and burnout among experienced obgyn’s too. But I guess none of the complicating factors make for as good of a straw man for the inane point you’d like to use these women’s suffering to prove.
- ecjhdnc2025 2y ago
  Obesity, like Brexit, is a multiplier for the negative outcomes of complicating factors.
  - kingkawn 2y ago
    saying that we should only think of it when someone’s trying to talk about women’s health is misogyny
    - ecjhdnc2025 2y ago
      I do not remotely disagree, though I don't think people are saying we should "only think" of it then. But a proper healthcare system should absolutely be discussing obesity with women who intend to get pregnant at least, just as it should be discussing it with people who want to have surgery requiring general anaesthesia, with people who have mobility issues or knee/hip problems, etc.; if not more generally even outside of the context of immediate interventions. Because it makes difficult, traumatic and bad health situations worse. Giving birth is routinely the first two of those things. There is a positive-discrimination aspect here, though: yes, obesity complicates the health of older people, is raising mortality rates across the board. But society doesn't want women to die in childbirth anymore, and that makes this targeted intervention re: obesity a proper thing to do.
sdfgtr 2y ago
I love how this is the common sense answer and it's the conclusion in the study as well. But if you read the other comments here, you see people arguing about Roe v. Wade, racism, statistical errors, covid vaccines, etc. When the whole time the answer is just right there, the hippo in the room if you will lol. Anything to avoid personal responsibility I guess.
- bavell 2y ago
  10,000% this. Sedentary lifestyle with a poor diet and little to no regular exercise is a recipe for health complications throughout life.
- yowzadave 2y ago
  > Anything to avoid personal responsibility I guess Something can be caused by obesity without the primary “blame” being personal responsibility. If Americans are more obese than Scandinavians, is it because there just happen to be more individuals in the US who lack personal responsibility? Societal problems are a result of societal sickness. We should aim at the root societal causes rather than attribute personal moral failings to the individuals who are a product of that society.

lotsofpulp 2y ago

Basically every healthcare professional has been saying it out loud for decades. Its proxy, body mass index (BMI), is on every checklist and some city level political leaders have even been able to tax beverages with sugar. The Obamas, and Michelle Obama specifically, addressed it directly (14 years ago): https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/

kingkawn 2y ago

There’s also the ongoing closure of labor and delivery wards across the country, especially in rural America. There’s been an increase in retirements and burnout among experienced obgyn’s too. But I guess none of the complicating factors make for as good of a straw man for the inane point you’d like to use these women’s suffering to prove.

ecjhdnc2025 2y ago
Obesity, like Brexit, is a multiplier for the negative outcomes of complicating factors.
- kingkawn 2y ago
  saying that we should only think of it when someone’s trying to talk about women’s health is misogyny
  - ecjhdnc2025 2y ago
    I do not remotely disagree, though I don't think people are saying we should "only think" of it then. But a proper healthcare system should absolutely be discussing obesity with women who intend to get pregnant at least, just as it should be discussing it with people who want to have surgery requiring general anaesthesia, with people who have mobility issues or knee/hip problems, etc.; if not more generally even outside of the context of immediate interventions. Because it makes difficult, traumatic and bad health situations worse. Giving birth is routinely the first two of those things. There is a positive-discrimination aspect here, though: yes, obesity complicates the health of older people, is raising mortality rates across the board. But society doesn't want women to die in childbirth anymore, and that makes this targeted intervention re: obesity a proper thing to do.

sdfgtr 2y ago

I love how this is the common sense answer and it's the conclusion in the study as well. But if you read the other comments here, you see people arguing about Roe v. Wade, racism, statistical errors, covid vaccines, etc. When the whole time the answer is just right there, the hippo in the room if you will lol. Anything to avoid personal responsibility I guess.

bavell 2y ago
10,000% this. Sedentary lifestyle with a poor diet and little to no regular exercise is a recipe for health complications throughout life.
yowzadave 2y ago
> Anything to avoid personal responsibility I guess Something can be caused by obesity without the primary “blame” being personal responsibility. If Americans are more obese than Scandinavians, is it because there just happen to be more individuals in the US who lack personal responsibility? Societal problems are a result of societal sickness. We should aim at the root societal causes rather than attribute personal moral failings to the individuals who are a product of that society.