Health

Obesity Alert: Youngsters Aged 18 To 24 Are At Maximum Risk

By
OB Bureau

London: Young adults between the age of 18 to 24 years are at maximum risk of becoming overweight or developing obesity in the next decade of their life.

A study, conducted by researchers at University College London, University of Cambridge and Berlin Institute of Health at Charite – Universitatsmedizin Berlin, found that being a young adult is a more significant risk factor for weight gain than sex, ethnicity, geographic region or socio-economic area characteristics.

Importantly, the study — published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology — said risk of gaining weight steadily decreases with age.

Anonymised primary care health records of over 2 million adults – along with more than 9 million BMI and weight measurements — in England between 1998 and 2016 were studied to investigate the risk of weight changes at different ages and among different groups.

It was found that youngsters aged between 18 to 24 years were four times more likely to become overweight or develop obesity over next 10 years than those aged 65 to 74.

Overweight or obese young adults classed were also more likely to move to a higher BMI category — from overweight category to obesity or from non-severe obesity to severe obesity — than those classed as overweight or obese in any other age group.

For the first time, the researchers have provide people an online tool to calculate the risk of weight change over the next 1, 5, and 10 years, based on the individual’s present weight and height, age, sex, ethnicity and socio-economic area characteristics.

“Calculating the personal risk of transitioning to a higher weight category is important as the COVID-19 pandemic collides with the obesity pandemic: people are exercising less and finding it harder to eat healthy diets during lockdowns,” co-senior author Prof. Harry Hemingway said about the online tool.

Data was used from 400 primary care centres, with participants aged 18 to 74 years having their weight and BMI measured more than once between 1998 and 2016.

“Our results show clearly that age is the most important socio-demographic factor for BMI change. Young people aged 18 to 24 have the highest risk of BMI gain, compared to older people. We also found that among individuals with obesity, those aged between 35 and 54 had the highest risk of not losing weight compared to other adults,” lead author Dr Michail Katsoulis said.

OB Bureau

Recent Posts

Low Pressure Over Bay Of Bengal In 48 Hours; Check Forecast For Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The cyclonic circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a…

November 8, 2024

Congress Activists Hurl Eggs At Odisha HE Minister’s Residence In Bhubaneswar; Know Why

Bhubaneswar: Activists of the students’ wing of Odisha Congress staged a demonstration and threw eggs…

November 8, 2024

Love Jihad? Kashmiri Youth Held In Bhubaneswar For ‘Blackmailing’ Woman For Marriage

Bhubaneswar: Mahila Police in Bhubaneswar on Friday detained a Kashmiri Muslim youth, Samir Mansoor, for…

November 8, 2024

Woman RI Faints After Tehsildar’s Phone Call In Odisha; Husband Moves Police Alleging Mental Torture

Keonjhar: A woman Revenue Inspector (RI) reportedly fainted after Ghasipura Tehsildar in Odisha’s Keonjhar district…

November 8, 2024

Rs 7.3 Lakh Looted From GSK Employee In Broad Daylight In Odisha’s Balangir

Balangir: In a daring act, unidentified miscreants allegedly looted Rs 7.3 lakh cash from a…

November 8, 2024

Don’t Give Into Blackmailing, Immediately Report To Police: Cuttack DCP

Cuttack: Following the alleged gangrape of a college girl, Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena on Friday…

November 8, 2024

Elon Musk’s Estranged Daughter Wants To Leave US; Here’s Why?

New Delhi: Vivian Jenna Wilson, the transgender daughter of Elon Musk, says she is leaving…

November 8, 2024

Fact Check: ‘Secret Memo’ Links Indian Diplomats With Violent Crimes In West?

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday stated that a ‘secret memo’ that…

November 8, 2024