Conservative voters are fatter and more likely to be obese than Labour or Liberal Democrat supporters, a study has found.
Researchers looked at 4,000 people who voted during the 2019 general election and found that those who supported the Conservative party had “significantly” higher body mass index (BMI) scores.
They were also up to 54 percent more likely to be obese, making them vulnerable to a range of serious diseases and more likely to die young.
This remained the case even after the researchers adjusted their findings for age, gender, ethnicity and deprivation.
Experts say doctors could start asking patients how they vote, as this would allow them to assess their risk of serious weight-related complications.
Conservative voters have a BMI around one point higher on average than Labour or Liberal Democrat supporters, which could be the difference between a healthy and unhealthy weight.
Professor Amanda Daley, from Loughborough University, said: ‘Health remains an important political issue and a top priority for voters.
‘In this nationally representative sample, Conservative Party voters had a higher BMI and were more likely to live with obesity than Labour and Liberal Democrat voters.
‘This finding is notable as obesity increases the risk of morbidity and premature death and has substantial economic consequences for health care services worldwide.
‘Given that nearly 14 million people voted Conservative in 2019, governments and public health agencies may benefit from focusing on the public’s political affiliation when developing obesity prevention and reduction strategies.’
Although Conservative voters are considerably more likely to be obese, there is no significant difference in the odds of obesity between Labour and Liberal Democrat voters.
Overall, Lib Dem supporters were found to be the slimmest, with more of them having healthy BMI scores than Conservative or Labour voters.
Conservative voters are 32 per cent more likely to be in a higher BMI category than Labour voters, and 47 per cent more likely than Liberal Democrat voters, even after accounting for other factors.
Compared to left-wing voters, conservative supporters have a BMI around one point higher on average, which could be the difference between a healthy and unhealthy weight.
Previous research in the United States has suggested that doctors with right-wing views are more likely to question patients about their weight, discuss the health implications and refer them for treatment if necessary.
Their study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, was based on data from individuals randomly recruited by the Ipsos KnowledgePanel.
Supports studies conducted in the United States that have repeatedly shown that there are higher rates of people with obesity in areas with strong support for the Republican Party presidential candidate.
The researchers also looked at people who voted for “other” parties, but did not report their findings on them.
