Latest news with #earlydeath
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Becoming obese before the age of 30 ‘raises your risk of dying young by 75%' – are you at risk?
TOO much flab before the age of 30 can nearly double the risk of an early death, a study suggests. Vast weight gain and obesity at any age were found to be linked to a shorter lifespan, but the impact was greatest between the ages of 17 and 30. 1 Scientists say this is because health damage from fat builds up over time. NHS figures show that approximately one in five under-35s in England – 19 per cent – are obese. Professor Tanja Stocks, from Lund University in Sweden, said: 'Even modest weight gains in your 20s 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.' Prof Stocks' study, which was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, used decades of medical records from 620,000 people aged betweeb 17 and 60 who had their weight monitored. On average, male participants were tracked for 23 years, and female participants for 12 years. Experts said the years between 17 and 30 were a 'critical life stage'. They found becoming obese between these ages increased the risk of dying prematurely by 79 per cent for men and 84 per cent for women, compared to avoiding obesity until age 60. Among the under-30s, every pound gained per year increased the risk of an early death by 24 per cent for men and 22 per cent for women. Researchers calculated that weight gain before 30 increased the likelihood of early death from conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The 7 ways you're making your kids fat without knowing it - and why it might be time to bin your For women specifically, weight gain increased their risk of death from cancer - regardless of when it happened. Scientists said that 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 lesser extent. Study co-author Huyen Le said: '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. 'Studies have also shown that weight gain in childhood is related to obesity in teenage and adulthood, which is why early obesity prevention is very important.' Seven in ten men are now classed as overweight Some 64.5 per cent of English adults were overweight or obese last year, according to new figures. That was a 0.5 per cent increase on 2023 — equivalent to around an extra 220,000 people. The total has gradually crept up since data was first collated in 2015, when it was 61 per cent. For men the rate is now 69.7 per cent, compared to 59.2 per cent for women, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities said. Katharine Jenner of the Obesity Health Alliance said: 'Successive governments have missed countless opportunities to turn the tide and we urge the current one not to make the same mistake.' Read more on the study here. People are classed as obese if their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher – a weight of approximately 12st for an average 5'3' tall woman, or 14st for a 5'8' man. A damning study published earlier this year said nearly 50 million Brits could be obese by 2050, up from 38.4million in 2021 The warning sparked fears of mounting pressure on hospitals and medical facilities, with researchers estimating it could cost the NHS up to £10billion a year. Obesity is the second leading cause of cancer in the UK and also raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart diseases and dementia. Scientists at presenting their findings at the obesity conference in Malaga said blockbuster weight loss jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro could be used a cancer-beating weapon, after research showed they halved people's risk of developing disease. It was also suggested that that allow doctors to monitor their weight remotely. Hiding the figures aims to spare kid's feelings and stop their parents obsessing over numbers, researchers said.
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Obesity before 30 almost doubles risk of dying young
Gaining weight before the age of 30 could almost double your risk of dying young, new research reveals. Scientists found piling on the pounds in your 20s could have greater consequences than later in life, because it can cause 'cumulative damage' to vital organs. The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, looked at the death rates among 620,000 adults in Sweden between the ages of 17 and 60 who had their weights monitored throughout their lives. Researchers found men who became obese before the age of 30 saw their risk of an early death rise by 79 per cent, while women saw an increase of 84 per cent, in comparison to those who put weight on later in life. Those who became obese between the age of 30 and 45 increased the risk of early death by 52 per cent, while obesity between the age of 45 and 60 increased overall risk by around 25 per cent. Every pound gained in early adulthood in the 'critical life stage' between 17 and 29, the risk of early death increased by more than 20 per cent, the study revealed. The study found weight gain in your 20s increased the risk of death from a wide range of diseases including heart disease, several types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Katharine Jenner, the director of the Obesity Health Alliance, stressed the study is a 'wake-up call'. She added: '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.' Around one in four adults in the UK are obese, according to the NHS. Obesity increases the risk of several types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Huyen Le, a doctoral student at Lund and the study's lead researcher, said: 'The key message from this study is clear: avoiding weight gain — especially in your late teens and twenties — 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.' Tanja Stocks, associate professor of epidemiology at Lund University in Sweden and the study's lead author, added: '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.' 'Our study supports the idea that avoiding weight gain during adulthood — particularly in the twenties — is important for long-term health. Therefore, we do believe more efforts are needed to prevent weight gain in young adults. Supporting healthy habits during this critical life stage can have lasting benefits.'
Telegraph
12-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Obesity before 30 almost doubles risk of early death
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.
