Khaberni - A new study has revealed that weight gain not only affects human health as they age, but the timing of gaining this weight may be a crucial factor in determining the risk of early death.
Obesity starting in early adulthood is associated with a significant increase in mortality rates compared to those who maintain their normal weight for a longer period.
The study showed that individuals who first became obese between the ages of 17 and 29 were nearly 70% more likely to die from any cause during the follow-up period compared to those who did not become obese until age 60.
The study was conducted by a team from Lund University in Sweden, aiming to track weight across life stages rather than relying on a single measurement. The researchers used data from over 600,000 individuals, including only those who had at least three recorded weight measurements between the ages of 17 and 60.
Researchers defined the onset of obesity as the first time an individual's Body Mass Index (BMI) reaches 30 or more, which was the standard at the time of weight measurements, although modern definitions of obesity have evolved to include additional factors like fat distribution and distinctions between fat mass and muscle mass.
Although the study does not directly prove that early weight gain is the sole cause of death, it confirms what is scientifically known about the link between obesity and a large number of chronic health problems.
Tanya Stokes, an epidemiologist at Lund University, stated, "The most consistent finding is that early weight gain is associated with an increased risk of early death in later stages of life compared to individuals who gain less weight."
The researchers believe that the likely cause behind this is that the body remains under prolonged biological stress due to obesity, which increases the chances of encountering chronic health problems such as inflammation, insulin resistance, heart disease, and organ damage over time.
The team tracked overall mortality rates, in addition to mortality linked to cardiovascular diseases, various types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes, which are among the leading diseases associated with obesity.
The results showed that individuals who gained the most weight over their lifetimes were most susceptible to death, where cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, constituted the majority of these cases.
The researchers wrote in the scientific paper: "Our results suggest that the duration of obesity, not just weight gain in later adulthood stages, may be the main factor behind the increased risks of death."
They added that prolonged exposure to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, in addition to coagulation disorders caused by substances secreted by fatty tissues, may explain the elevated mortality rates.
The study also linked obesity with deaths resulting from type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, although some cases such as bladder cancer in men and stomach cancer in women did not show a clear statistical association.
The researchers noted differences between men and women, particularly in terms of cancer in women, where the risk of death associated with obesity was similar regardless of the timing of weight gain, suggesting the potential involvement of other more influential factors, such as hormonal changes related to menopause.
They pointed to some limitations in the study, including not accounting for the impact of physical activity and diet, though they are significantly important for overall health and may affect the interpretation of the results.
Nevertheless, the large sample size and the long duration of follow-up lend significant importance to the study at the level of public health and strengthen the call for early prevention of obesity rather than waiting for its effects to appear later.
To illustrate the results numerically, if 10 out of every 1000 people who did not suffer from early obesity died during the follow-up period, about 17 out of every 1000 died among the group that suffered from early obesity.
Stokes emphasized that the focus should not only be on the exact numbers but also on the overall pattern revealed by the study, saying: "These findings carry an important message for policymakers and politicians regarding the necessity of early intervention to reduce obesity."
