Obese men 'at higher risk of serious spinal cord injuries in car accidents'RSS Feed

Obese men who are involved in car accidents are at an increased risk of suffering severe spinal cord injuries, according to a study published in the online journal Public Library of Science Medicine.

Researchers found that obese adult males were more likely to suffer severe injuries to the upper body in a car crash than slightly overweight or normal weight adult males, reports Jason Mick, writing for DailyTech.com.

Interestingly, the trend was not found to exist in adult females.

The study could carry significant implications, the report suggests, because most car crash tests in the US currently use normal weight dummies, which do not accurately represent the physique of a large part of the American population.

An expert in New Zealand, meanwhile, has suggested that ill-fitting seatbelts can be associated with a heightened risk of spinal cord injuries in children.

Voxy.co.nz reported that Dr Gabrielle Nuthall, of Starship's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, believes injuries to the abdominal region and head can also be linked to inappropriate seatbelt use.

Serious Law, leading spinal cord injury solicitors

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