Obesity before 30 almost doubles risk of early death

Telegraph

12-05-2025

Adults who gain surplus weight before the age of 30 are almost doubling their risk of an early death, a study has found.
Those who piled on the pounds in their twenties had far higher mortality rates than those who merely succumbed to middle-aged spread, a study of 620,000 people discovered
On average, participants – who were aged between 17 and 60 – put on about 1lb a year. But the damage was far greater when weight gains came early.
Men who became obese before the age of 30 saw their risk of early death rise by 79 per cent, while women saw an 84 per cent increase, compared with those who did not.
Among the under 30s, every pound gained per year increased the risk of an early death by 24 per cent in men and 22 per cent in women.
Researchers said the findings, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, provided a 'powerful' insight into the dangers of modern lifestyles.
Experts said the years between 17 and 30 were a 'critical life stage' – calling for action to wean a generation off junk food.
Since 1993, the proportion of 25 to 34 year olds classified as obese has more than doubled.
The study, led by researchers from Lund University in Malmö, Sweden, is one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind.
On average, male participants were tracked for 23 years, and females for 12 years.
The study found that gaining weight early in adulthood significantly raised the risk of dying from a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, several types of cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.
Scientists said that across the board, the 'cumulative' effect of carrying weight for a long time was the most deadly.
Those who gained weight later in life also had an increased risk, but to a much lesser extent.
Becoming obese between the age of 45 and 60 increased overall risk by about 25 per cent. And reaching this threshold between the age of 30 and 45 increased the risk by 52 per cent.
'Embrace healthy living earlier'
Prof Tanja Stocks said: 'Even modest weight gains in your twenties can significantly increase the risk of early death if they persist over several years. The earlier people embrace healthy living, the better the chance of a long life.'
Huyen Le, a lead researcher, said the findings were important because most weight gain occurred in early adulthood as people left home, often becoming more reliant on junk food and convenience foods.
She said: 'The key message from this study is clear: avoiding weight gain – especially in your late teens and 20s – can have a major impact on your long-term health.
'Gaining weight early in adulthood, or developing obesity at a young age, is linked to a higher risk of dying from many chronic diseases later in life.'
The average weight gain in the study, of just over 1lb per year, matched those found in other major studies.
UK data shows the average man aged between 25 and 34 now weighs 13st 6lb – a stone more than in the 1990s.
For women of the same age the average weight is 11st 6lb – up by 1st 2lb on the figure from 1993.
Heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, liver, kidney and womb cancers were among the conditions with the strongest link between early weight gain and premature death.
However, for women, weight gain had an impact on cancer mortality regardless of when the weight was put on.
Putting on weight after the menopause is already known to be linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Prof Stocks said the findings were important because they came from a study which was very large, examining more causes of death, and tracking weight gain far more closely than previous research.
She said: 'I think it's very powerful in that we investigated both the age of obesity onset and also the age of weight gain. Early weight gain is most important to prevent; this may have to do that with the fact you are living longer with obesity. Cumulative, long exposure likely causes these diseases.'
Researchers said the mass study did not account for some potential confounders including diet and physical activity.
Prof Stocks said more should be done to prevent weight gain in young adults, with improved access to healthier foods and encouraging exercise.
She said: 'Supporting healthy habits during this critical life stage can have lasting benefits.'
'Gaining weight shortens your life'
Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: 'This study is yet another wake-up call. Gaining excess weight early in life doesn't just increase the risk of obesity – it can shorten lives by driving up rates of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and poor mental health.
'Many young people are on course to reach obesity by 30, driven by a food environment dominated by fast food deals, oversized portions and highly processed products. This is the consequence of decades of failure by the commercial food system and the lack of action by government to fix it.
'Preventing obesity in the first place is essential if the Government is serious about delivering five extra healthy years of life and narrowing the life expectancy gap. That means more than treatment – we need bold action to make healthy food the easy, affordable, and appealing choice.'
Separate research by the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark, which tracked 700 children from birth found that those with steadily expanding waistlines had a much greater risk of heart problems by the age of 10.