It's obvious that in our country we have a problem with weight. So much so that would you believe that even small, gradual weight gain than occurs during early and middle adulthood may have negative consequences? That said, scientists from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston studied the data from about 120,000 adults (mostly white health professionals). What they found was that compared to those who kept their weight stable (11 pound increase) in weight from young adulthood to age 55, those who did not were linked to the following:
- 31% increased risk of type 2 diabetes
- 14% increased risk of cardiovascular disease
- 8% increased risk of dying prematurely (among never smokers)
- 6% increased risk of obesity-related cancer
- 17% decreased odds of achieving healthy aging into their 70's
The issue is that in this population the weight gained is body fat, which we know contributes to insulin resistance, dyslipidemia (unhealthy cholesterol and triglycerides), chronic inflammation, and other metabolic disorders. With that in mind, prevention is the key! We need to take these findings seriously and prevent weight gain. We can do that by following a consistent healthy dietary pattern and lifestyle.
Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tuft's University, October 2017, VOL. 35, NO 8, Weight Gain in Younger Adults Linked to Increased Health Risks Later (p.2).
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