Health
Weight gain in certain decade of life may be more dangerous, study suggests
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Weight management is often treated as a “middle-age” problem, but new research suggests that the pounds you pack on in your 20s may be the most dangerous of your life.
A massive study of more than 620,000 individuals found that the damage from early weight gain is disproportionately high and surprisingly permanent. According to the findings, the younger someone is when obesity sets in, the higher the risk of early mortality.
The study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, analyzed data from the Obesity and Disease Development Sweden project.
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“The most consistent finding is that weight gain at a younger age is linked to a higher risk of premature death later in life, compared with people who gain less weight,” Tanja Stocks, a professor at Lund University and one of the researchers behind the study, said in a press release.
New research suggests that the pounds you pack on in your 20s may be the most dangerous of your life. (iStock)
Developing obesity between the ages of 17 and 29 was linked to a 70% higher risk of early death compared to weight gain later in life.
Weight gain later in adulthood, between ages 30 and 60, was also linked to higher death rates, but the connections were generally weaker.
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“One possible explanation for why people with early obesity onset are at greater risk is their longer period exposed to the biological effects of excess weight,” Huyen Le, a doctoral student at Lund University and first author of the study, said in the release.
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When weight gain happens in the 20s, the blood vessels, liver and metabolic systems endure obesity-related strain for decades longer than someone who gains the same weight in their 50s, experts say.
Weight gain later in adulthood, between ages 30 and 60, was also linked to higher death rates, but the connections were generally weaker. (iStock)
The study identified type 2 diabetes as the leading cause of death associated with early-onset obesity. Other significant risks included high-blood pressure, liver cancer in men and uterine cancer in women.
To reach these conclusions, researchers tracked participants’ weight paths across adulthood over more than 50 years, focusing on three specific windows: ages 17 to 29, 30 to 44, and 45 to 60.
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Using a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher to define obesity, the team compared weight data against Sweden’s national death registry.
After adjusting for a variety of factors, including smoking habits and marital status, the trend showed that becoming obese later in life still carried risks, but the danger compounded the longer people stayed obese.
While type 2 diabetes is the leading risk, early-onset obesity is also tied to higher rates of high-blood pressure and specific cancers. (iStock)
While these findings highlight the “importance of early and sustained obesity prevention strategies,” the researchers noted that other factors come into play, and that increases in risk within a population can be difficult to interpret.
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“We shouldn’t get too hung up on exact risk figures,” Stocks said.
“They are rarely entirely accurate, as they are influenced, for example, by the factors taken into account in the study and the accuracy with which both risk factors and outcomes have been measured.”
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Because the study was conducted in Sweden, more research is needed to understand the effect of early-onset obesity in other populations, the team noted.
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A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research.
The study, published in the journal Aging, investigated how a diet change and easy exercise regimen affected men between the ages of 50 and 74 over a three-month period.
Researchers designed a clinical trial involving 48 overweight men in Japan. Over a 12-week period, half of the participants followed a strictly structured wellness routine, while the other half maintained their usual habits.
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For the intervention group, the routine required consuming 100 grams of plain yogurt every day.
This group also received individualized dietary counseling that advised them to curb overeating, avoid excessive snacking and cut out sugary drinks.
A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research. (iStock)
They were also instructed to walk or use a stepper machine for roughly 30 minutes a day, at least three days each week.
To measure the impact of these changes, the scientists collected blood samples from all participants before and after the study, and also analyzed DNA for chemical changes that act as indicators of cellular age.
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Specifically, they used a measurement tool called DunedinPACE. Rather than assessing a person’s chronological age in years, this tool calculates the precise rate at which an individual’s body is currently aging.
The men who consumed the probiotic yogurt, adjusted their diets and exercised showed a statistically significant reduction in their pace of aging compared to the control group, the researchers said.
The anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component on its own due to the variety in the study, the researchers noted. (iStock)
On average, the speed of their biological aging slowed by approximately 2.2%. This reduction is roughly comparable to the slowing of biological aging observed in a previous two-year U.S. study, in which participants reduced their daily calorie intake by 25%.
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This reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss , meaning it did not directly correlate with changes in the participants’ body mass index or the exact number of exercise sessions they logged.
The researchers also recorded a noticeable improvement in a specific DNA marker that is linked to kidney function.
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Because this study combined three distinct factors — probiotics, diet and exercise — the authors concluded that the anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component. Instead, the slowed aging rate appears to be the result of a combined effect.
The reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss, the study found. (iStock)
The researchers also acknowledged clear limitations of the study, including its small sample size and short duration. Also, the participant pool was restricted to overweight men of a single nationality.
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More research is needed to determine whether these short-term biological shifts can translate into permanent, long-term health benefits, the study stated.
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The simple act of noting how fast your heart is beating while you’re at rest may be the key to measuring your overall health.
Resting heart rate is defined by Mayo Clinic as the number of times your heart beats each minute while you’re awake, calm and not moving.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults. A slower resting heart rate means the heart does not have the work as heard to pump blood through the body — something typical of someone who is more fit.
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Athletes who are very fit may have a resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute, according to Mayo Clinic.
Your resting heart rate can vary due to a variety of factors, including age, physical activity levels, sleep health, smoking, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress, anxiety, hormones, body type and certain medications.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults, according to medical experts. (iStock)
But a resting heart rate that’s often too high or too low may signal a health issue.
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A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body, such as anemia, an infection or a thyroid problem, according to Cleveland Clinic.
A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body. (iStock)
If your heart rate is regularly above 100 beats per minute, this is a sign to talk with your heart care provider.
The same advice applies if you are not a trained athlete and your resting heart rate is frequently below 60 beats per minute.
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Talk to your doctor if other symptoms such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath occur.
How to measure your heart rate
You can check your own heart rate by tracking your pulse on your wrist or neck. The best time of day to measure resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, says Mayo Clinic.
Place your index and middle fingers inside the wrist below the thumb, to feel the radial artery; or, do so on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery.
Place your index and middle fingers on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery — and count how many beats per minute. (iStock)
Count the number of times your pulse beats in 15 seconds, then multiply this number by four to calculate beats per minute.
Wearable devices can also detect and track resting heart rate, although this may not always be accurate.
How to lower your heart rate
If your resting heart rate is higher than normal, there are a few ways to work toward lowering it.
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Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate and increase the heart’s aerobic capacity and max heart rate, according to Harvard.
For those who don’t exercise regularly, it’s important to work your way up in difficulty when following a new workout routine.
Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate, Harvard Health says. But it’s vital to work your way up carefully. (iStock)
Some medications, such as beta blockers, can also lower heart rate. In the same way, managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can also help.
Cleveland Clinic also recommends cutting back on harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol, which can dehydrate you and raise your heart rate.
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Adequate sleep can also help bring your heart rate down, in addition to maintaining a healthy weight.
Cardiologist Tamanna Singh, M.D., shared with Cleveland Clinic that lowering your heart rate takes time as various lifestyle changes kick in.
Managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can help lower your resting heart rate,
“Just like building your biceps and triceps, it takes time for your heart to become stronger,” the doctor said.
Singh recommended focusing on heart rate patterns rather than dialing in on just the number.
Take note of how your heart rate changes after eating certain foods, when you’re dehydrated or after you’ve begun a new exercise or stress management routine.
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“If you notice that your heart rate is consistently over 100, mention it to your doctor, especially if you’ve tried making lifestyle changes and they don’t seem to be working,” she said.
“Your resting heart rate isn’t the be-all, end-all of your health, but it’s definitely a marker that you should pay attention to.”
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