Obesity ups death risk in car crashes
Obesity places individuals at an increased risk of not only developing various health threatening conditions but also dying in severe car accidents.
Studying the body weights of the US car crash victims between 2000 and 2005, University of Buffalo researchers found that severely obese drivers have a 56% higher chance of dying during a severe accident, compared to people with normal weight.
The risk of dying, however, was only 21% higher in the moderately obese drivers, the study found.
While having a small belly provides a cushioning effect during the crash, larger abdomens put the individuals too close to the steering wheel, increasing their risk of dying, according to the study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
"The severity and patterns of crash injuries depend on a complex interaction of biomechanical factors, including deceleration velocity at impact, seat belt and air bag use, vehicle type and weight, and type of impact," said professor Dietrich Jehle, the main author.
"Crash test dummies have saved lives and provided invaluable data on how human bodies react to crashes, but they are designed to represent normal-weight individuals,” said Jehle, adding that manufacturers should use crash test dummies representing the overweight American society to reduce the car accident-related mortality rate in this population.
Source: presstv.ir
