Childhood Obesity Linked to 70 Percent Higher Risk of Early Death

Illustration of obesity (Photo: Freepik/jcomp)

JAKARTA - A recent study revealed important findings related to the impact of obesity on long-term health. Not only about weight gain, but also the increase in it plays a major role in determining a person's risk of death.

Research conducted by a team from Lund University in Sweden shows that individuals who are obese at a young age, specifically between 17 and 29 years old, have a higher risk of death than those who gain weight at a later age or do not experience obesity at all.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 600 thousand people who were monitored for decades. The results, those who were obese in early adulthood were recorded as about 70 percent more at risk of dying from various causes during the observation period. Epidemiologist Tanja Stocks explained that these findings show a consistent pattern.

"The most consistent finding is that weight gain at a younger age is associated with a higher risk of premature death later in life, compared to people who gain less weight," he said, quoted from the Science Alert website.

This research highlights the duration of a person living with obesity as an important factor. The longer the body is in an overweight state, the greater the biological stress it must bear, including increased risk of chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and blood clotting disorders.

These conditions are known to contribute to a variety of serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and several types of cancer. In this study, cardiovascular disease is the largest cause of death related to obesity.

The researchers also stressed that it is not only the amount of weight gain that is important, but also when the increase occurs.

"Our findings suggest that the length of time a person has been obese, rather than just weight gain in old age, is likely a key factor in increasing the risk of death," the research team wrote in their report.

Interestingly, this study also found differences between men and women. In women, the risk of death from obesity-related cancers is not greatly affected by age when weight gain occurs. This opens up the possibility of other factors, such as hormonal changes during menopause. Epidemiologist Huyen Le explained that this still needs to be further investigated.

"If our findings in women reflect what happens during menopause, the question is which comes first, hormonal changes or weight gain?" he said.

"Maybe hormonal changes affect weight, and weight just reflects what's really going on inside the body," he continued.

However, this study has limitations. Lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity were not analyzed in depth, although both have a significant impact on health. The researchers suggest that future studies include these factors to obtain a more complete picture.

Despite these limitations, the results of this study provide a strong message for the public and policymakers, namely that obesity prevention must begin as early as possible.

As an illustration, out of every 1,000 people who are not obese at a young age, about 10 people die during the study period. Meanwhile, in the group that experienced obesity early, the figure increased to about 17 people.

Tanja Stocks reminded that the figure should not be understood rigidly, but it remains a serious concern.

"We don't need to be too fixated on the exact risk numbers. However, it is important to understand the pattern, and this study conveys an important message for decision makers."

These findings further strengthen the importance of maintaining ideal body weight from a young age as a preventive measure to improve quality of life and prolong life expectancy.