According to a study conducted by a group of researchers from Canada, severely obese adults beyond the age of 35 are in endanger of losing 1 to 8 years of their lives. This shortened lifespan is also feared to be accompanied by about 2 decades of poor health due to complications from diabetes and coronary conditions.
The researchers gathered data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They looked into the dangers obese and overweight people, aged 20 to 79, are likely to face compared to the general health of those in the same age range but within healthy weight limits.
In the study, the researchers have established an estimate number of years lost from an overweight or an obese person's life span.
Those with a BMI of 35 and above, considered severely obese, can lose 1 to 8 years. People with a BMI of 30 to 35, considered obese, can lose 1 to 6 years. While, those with a BMI of 25 to 30, considered overweight, can lose 0 to 3 years.
Gender and age, however, were considered by the researchers as variables that may change the number of years that could be slashed of of an overweight or and obese person's life span.
The earlier a person is able to control his or her weight gain and its aggressors, then, give a better hope of having a longer life expectancy.
Head researcher Professor Steven Grover of McGill University in Montreal, Canada says that the drop in life expectancy is a result of contributing health factors that will most likely rise if in an obese or overweight individual. Diabetes, stroke, heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases are among the said contributing factors.
However, the most alarming discovery of this group of researchers is that the highest loss in life years are exhibited by those in the said unhealthy weight range and are in the 20 to 29 age range.
Such that, Professor Grover encourages a shift in the lifestyle of those who are at risk for obesity and those who are currently obese. The younger and the heavier an obese person is, the toll of the condition in his life and in his attitude towards life becomes greater.