Source page: McKinsey & Company
Commentary
Addressing obesity and high blood pressure could protect millions against future pandemics
COVID-19 | Public Health
July 23, 2020 – Chronic health conditions that are common in the world’s major economies—such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure—are known to put people at higher risk for complications from COVID-19. Treating those underlying conditions with known interventions could dramatically enhance the lives of millions of people.
To read the article, see “How prioritizing health could help rebuild economies,” July 8, 2020.
customizer here
Visual form
Bar Chart: small-multiple country panels comparing chronic health-risk prevalence.
Layout / body structure
Each country appears as its own mini-panel, with grouped vertical bars for obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The panels are arranged in two rows so countries can be scanned quickly.
What is being compared
It compares the prevalence of health conditions associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes across Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Canada, Brazil, Japan, China, and India.
Measurement system
The bars show condition prevalence as percent of the relevant population. Each country panel uses the same condition set, allowing direct comparison across countries.
Visible structure inside the graphic
Obesity and high blood pressure are the tallest bars in many countries. The United States and Canada stand out for high obesity, while high blood pressure is prominent across several European and Asian countries.
Main takeaway from the visual
The chart shows why addressing chronic conditions could improve pandemic resilience. Obesity and high blood pressure are common across major economies and are tied to more severe COVID-19 outcomes.
Key standout values or extremes
The United States shows obesity at 37.3 percent and high blood pressure at 16.4 percent. Canada shows obesity at 31.3 percent, while France and Italy show high blood pressure near the upper 20s.
Controls / sequence, when applicable
This is a static small-multiple bar chart; there are no in-chart controls to operate.
Companion media, when applicable
There is no separate companion audio or video; the country-panel bar chart is the full visual on this page.