July 1, 2021 – Teenagers with obesity between the ages of 30 and 40 are more likely to have had a heart attack, type 2 diabetes, or (self-reported) poor health than their leaner peers, says a new study.
Previous studies have reported poor health outcomes in older adults, but this is one of the first to look at risk in younger adults.
The teenagers with obesity were also more likely than other teenagers to still have obesity 24 years later, as well as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart failure, cancer, asthma, and sleep apnea.
The results come from a large US study that looked at how obesity between the ages of 11 and 18 affects health between the ages of 33 and 43.
The results show that “adolescence is an important period in preventing future diabetes and heart attacks,” says lead author Jason M. Nagata, MD.
“Parents should encourage teenagers to develop healthy behaviors, such as regular physical activity and [eating] balanced meals, “says Nagata, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Department of Adolescent and Adolescent Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
“Teens should know the importance of being active, joining sports teams, and doing physical activity with friends,” he says.
Pediatricians can also help teenagers and their families develop healthy habits, and doctors should ask young adults about their weight history when screening them for heart disease risk.
But Nagata, who also treats adolescents with eating disorders, says, “While I think it is important to adopt healthy behaviors – like eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly – I would advise against all teenagers trying more extreme or disorderly eating habits for weight loss Loss.”
A disturbed diet includes taking diet pills, laxatives, or supplements to lose weight, or making you vomit after a meal (bulimia).
Other studies have shown that “when you use some of these distorted eating habits” [including crash diets]“People actually tend to put on more weight in the long run,” he says.
The study was published online as a research letter on June 21 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
