A major study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga reveals that obesity before the age of 30 and the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) considerably increase the risk of premature death and chronic diseases. The research underscores the critical importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits early in life.

The Impact of Early Obesity

Researchers from the University of Lund, Sweden, found that accumulating body fat from a young age has long-term health consequences, notably increasing the risk of death from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The study, which analyzed medical data from over 620,000 individuals aged 17 to 60, revealed alarming statistics.

• Men monitored for an average of 23 years and women for 12 years.
• Individuals who became obese between ages 17 and 30 faced a 79% higher risk of premature death for men and an 84% higher risk for women, compared to those who did not become obese until age 60.
• Each 0.45-kilogram (approximately 1 pound) weight gain per year before age 30 increased the risk of premature death by 24% for men and 22% for women.
• Women also faced an elevated risk of death from cancer, irrespective of when the weight gain occurred.

Prof. Tanja Stocks,the study leader,emphasized the importance of early intervention,stating,The earlier a person adopts a healthy lifestyle,the greater the opportunity to live longer.

Huyen Le, another author of the study, added, Prevention of obesity as childhood is very crucial as being overweight at the beginning of adulthood contributed to chronic diseases later on.

According to data from the National Health Service (NHS) England,approximately 19% of individuals under the age of 35 are obese. A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher is considered the threshold for obesity, equivalent to a weight of 76 kg (168 pounds) for a woman with a height of 160 cm (5’3″) and 89 kg (196 pounds) for a man with a height of 173 cm (5’8″).

The Dangers of Ultra-Processed Foods

Recent studies reinforce the negative impact of ultra-processed foods on long-term health,including the risk of early death. These foods, often high in additives and low in essential nutrients, can trigger inflammation and metabolic disorders.

• A study published in the Journal Neurology tracked over 30,000 adults for 11 years and found that individuals who consumed more than 20% of their daily calories from UPF experienced a 28% faster cognitive decline and a 16% increased risk of stroke.

Ultra-process food contains additives, low nutrition, and causes inflammation. All of this accelerates damage to the nervous system and metabolism.
Dr. Sarah Berry, King’s College london

• Another study from the National Institute of Nutrition in India noted that regular consumption of processed foods like instant noodles and carbonated drinks increases the risk of metabolic disorders by 26% and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 12%, even in young individuals.

Dr. Rajeev Gupta of the Delhi Heart Institute explained the link between UPF consumption and economic factors, stating, UPF replaces conventional food because it is cheaper, but creates a double burden between malnutrition and obesity.

In response to growing global concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments to implement strict regulations on UPF, including mandatory labeling and taxes. Some countries, such as Brazil and Mexico, have already introduced warning labels.Experts are now advocating for similar measures in the UK and india, where UPF consumption has surged to 40% since 2020.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The findings from these studies underscore the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle from an early age and avoiding ultra-processed foods to reduce the risk of premature death. Experts are calling on governments to enhance nutritional education and regulate aggressive advertising of processed products, particularly those targeting children and adolescents.

The conclusion of these two studies confirms that a healthy lifestyle from an early age and the avoidance of ultra-process foods is very critically important to reduce the risk of young death.

Experts urge the goverment to strengthen nutritional education and control aggressive advertisements for processed products, especially those targeting children and adolescents.