Injuries and eventual mortality in traffic involving obese drivers and passengers: a systematic review

Abstract

 Obesity is a growing public health problem worldwide and affects individuals at all social and economic levels. It is characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat and it is most frequently measured by Body Mass Index (BMI), which is obtained by the quotient of the weight and the squared height (kg/m²) of an individual. Research has increasingly demonstrated obesity as a risk factor for diabetes, dyslipidemias, arterial hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and other diseases. However, problems arising from obesity go beyond these pathologies. The objective of this research is a systemic review of the literature dealing with the occurrence of injuries and mortality involving obese drivers and passengers in traffic accidents presented to the scientific community. The results show there is an increased risk of death for obese drivers, as well as for drivers with low BMI. In addition, obese motorcycle drivers are more likely to have serious injuries and stay longer hospitalized than non-obese drivers. It is concluded, therefore, that people in the two extremes of BMI tend to suffer most from damages caused by traffic accidents.