People between 18-24 at higher risk of gaining weight in the next 10 years: Lancet study

 (Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news)

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many to take note of their health. However, the increased stress and prolonged confinement has also increased the risk of lifestyle disorders, including obesity. Disorderly eating, long working hours, sedentary lifestyle and little to no physical activity are reasons to blame. One of the most common issues which has come up is pandemic weight gain.

While obesity has been a disturbing health issue since long, the COVID-19 pandemic and the change in our lifestyles have been a contributing factor and caused a rise in rates. Obesity is also a reason behind many additional health ills. While tackling obesity requires mindful lifestyle changes on the overall, newer studies have highlighted that young adults, particularly are at a grave risk of gaining weight in the coming years, compared to any other age group. We explain why

​The study

A study led by researchers at the University College London, University of Cambridge and Berlin Institute of Health and Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin, which has been published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology found out that being a young adult is an important risk factor for weight gain than sex, ethnicity or socioeconomic area characteristics. The risk of gaining weight is highest in the adult age group and decreases steadily with age.

The analysis

The researchers looked at anonymised primary care health records of more than 2 million adults in England between the years 1998 and 2016 to investigate the risk of weight gain at different ages among different groups.

The results

It was found that people aged 18 to 24 were four times more likely to become overweight and develop obesity over the next 10 years as compared to people aged 65 to 74. Young adults who were classified as overweight and obese were also more likely to move to a higher BMI category, which is from overweight category to obesity or from non-severe obesity to severe obesity as compared to those classed as overweight or obese in any other age group.

Knowing 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, finding it harder to eat healthy while staying at home). All of which can have an adverse effect on your health.

Why are young adults more at risk?

Young people go through big life changes. They might start work, go to university or leave home for the first time, the habits that they form at this time might stick with them through adulthood.

Conclusion

As per the study, the risk of moving from a higher BMI category over 10 years was 4-6 times higher in youngest adults (18-24 years), than in the older (65-74 years) age group. People aged 18-24 were 4.2 times more likely than people aged 65-74 to transition from normal weight to overweight, 4.6 times more likely to transition from overweight category to obesity and 5.9 times more likely to move from non-severe obesity to severe obesity.