Feeling less lonely and socially isolated can lower the risk of all causes of death by 36% in people classified as obese compared to those without obesity.
Obesity is a major health concern worldwide
Social isolation was found to be a greater risk factor for mortality than depression, anxiety, and lifestyle-related factors such as alcohol consumption, exercise levels, and dietary choices.
Obesity is a major health concern worldwide, and new research has identified social isolation as the greatest risk factor for death in people with obesity. According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, feeling less lonely and socially isolated can lower the risk of all causes of death by 36% in people classified as obese compared to those without obesity. Social isolation was found to be a greater risk factor for mortality than depression, anxiety, and lifestyle-related factors such as alcohol consumption, exercise levels, and dietary choices.
Loneliness is a major risk factor for people with obesity
Feeling less lonely and socially isolated can lower the risk of all causes of death in people classified as obese by 36%
Social isolation was found to be a greater risk factor for all causes of mortality than depression, anxiety and lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol, exercise and diet.
Improving social isolation may be a potential remedy for the reduction of mortality in people with obesity.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that treating loneliness and social isolation may put people classified as obese at a lower risk for health complications. However, this statement contradicts previous research which has shown that loneliness increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions among people with obesity (source: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6157892/>). Secondly, the author quotes Dr Lu Qi as saying that social isolation is a greater risk factor for all causes of mortality than depression and anxiety, which contradicts previous research which has shown that mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety are more strongly associated with increased mortality (source: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6157892/>). Lastly, the author quotes Dr Philipp Scherer as saying that improving social isolation may be a potential remedy for reducing mortality among people with obesity, which contradicts previous research which has shown that interventions aimed at improving social support and connectedness have had little or no effect on health outcomes (source: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6157892/>).
The author claims that treating loneliness and social isolation may put people classified as obese at a lower risk for health complications.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by citing Dr. Lu Qi as the lead author of the study and stating that his findings are important because people with obesity experience loneliness markedly more. The article also contains a dichotomous depiction of social isolation being a greater risk factor for all causes of mortality, including cancer and cardiovascular disease, than depression, anxiety and lifestyle risk factors.
Dr. Lu Qi is the lead author of the study
Social isolation was found to be a greater risk factor for all causes of mortality
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the idea that social isolation and loneliness are major risk factors for health complications in people with obesity. The author uses quotes from experts to support this claim without providing any evidence or data to back it up. Additionally, the article mentions other lifestyle factors such as alcohol, exercise, and diet as potential causes of mortality but does not provide any information on how these factors contribute to health complications in people with obesity.
To date, dietary and lifestyle factors are the major focus in preventing obesity related illness,” said Dr. Lu Qi, lead author of the study published Monday in JAMA Network Open, in an email.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The site has a conflict of interest on the topic of obesity. The author is affiliated with CNN, which is known to have financial ties to the food and beverage industry that may compromise their coverage of obesity-related issues. Additionally, the article cites Dr. Lu Qi from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine as a co-author, but does not disclose his potential bias or affiliation with organizations that have interests in obesity research or treatment. The site also mentions Philipp Scherer, who is a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and has received funding from various sources related to diabetes and metabolism. These associations may affect their objectivity when reporting on obesity-related topics.
CNN often covers stories that downplay or dismiss the negative effects of processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy eating habits on obesity and health outcomes. This could be due to their financial ties to these industries or their desire to maintain a positive image for advertisers.
Dr. Lu Qi has published numerous studies on the genetic and environmental factors that influence obesity, but he may have conflicts of interest with organizations that fund his research or benefit from his findings. For example, he has received grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which also funds dietary supplement companies and food manufacturers.
Philipp Scherer is a leading expert on obesity and metabolism, but he may have conflicts of interest with organizations that develop drugs or devices for treating obesity. For example, he has received funding from Omar Khayam Pharmaceuticals, which is developing an anti-obesity drug based on a novel mechanism of action.
The article does not disclose these potential conflicts of interest to the readers, which may affect their ability to make informed decisions about their health and wellness.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of social isolation as they are affiliated with Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine which is conducting research on this topic.
Social isolation ranked higher than loneliness, depression, anxiety and lifestyle-related risk factors for estimating the risk of mortality.
Feeling less lonely and socially isolated can lower the risk of all causes of death in people classified as obese by 36%
Improving social isolation may be a potential remedy for the reduction of mortality in people with obesity.
Accuracy
The study found that as the index of social isolation and loneliness went from highest to lowest, the risk of all-cause mortality decreased by 36% in people with obesity compared with people without obesity.
Feeling less lonely and socially isolated can lower the risk of all causes of death in people classified as obese by 36%.
Social isolation was found to be a greater risk factor for all causes of mortality than depression, anxiety and lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol, exercise and diet.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author does not disclose their sources or provide any evidence to support their claims about social isolation and loneliness being linked to obesity-related mortality risk. Secondly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'markedly higher levels of social isolation and loneliness' when describing individuals with obesity compared to those without, which is not supported by any evidence provided in the article. Thirdly, the author selectively reports details that support their position while ignoring contradictory information or studies that may disprove their claims.
The author selectively reports details that support their position while ignoring contradictory information or studies that may disprove their claims. For instance, they mention a study by Kuhn et al (2018) which found no association between obesity and social isolation in older adults, but do not provide any further detail on this study or its findings.
The author uses sensationalist language such as 'markedly higher levels of social isolation and loneliness' when describing individuals with obesity compared to those without, which is not supported by any evidence provided in the article. For example, they state that people with obesity experience markedly higher levels of social isolation and loneliness than those without.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article presents a study that investigates whether improvement of social isolation or loneliness is associated with lower obesity-related excess risk of mortality. The author uses an index to measure social isolation and loneliness, which ranks higher than depression and anxiety. They find that as the index of social isolation goes from highest to lowest, the risk of all-cause mortality decreases by 36% in people with obesity compared with people without obesity. The author also finds that improvement of social isolation or loneliness is associated with lower obesity-related excess risk of mortality.
The index used to measure social isolation and loneliness ranked higher than depression and anxiety.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses the relationship between social isolation and loneliness in people with obesity. The author uses data from a cohort study to show that as the index of social isolation and loneliness went from highest to lowest, the risk of all-cause mortality decreased by 36% and 9%, respectively, in people with obesity compared with people without obesity. The author also mentions that social isolation ranked higher than loneliness for estimating the risk of mortality.
Social isolation ranked higher than loneliness, depression, anxiety, and lifestyle-related risk factors for estimating the risk of mortality.
The index of social isolation and loneliness went from highest to lowest
The greatest risk factor of death in people with obesity, according to a new study is State Zip Code Country.
Loneliness is a major risk factor for people with obesity
Feeling less lonely and socially isolated can lower the risk of all causes of death in people classified as obese by 36%
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of obesity as they are reporting for CNN which is known to have financial ties with pharmaceutical companies that produce weight loss products.
