Why Weight Gain Before 30 Hits Harder

Heavy Stuff: We know that being overweight comes with increased risk for things like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. But is there a specific time of life when weight gain is most harmful? New research suggests there is. 

The Study: Researchers from Lund University in Sweden collected data from 1963 to 2015 for more than 620,000 adults. Participants had their weight assessed multiple times between ages 17 and 60. The study found that a steep weight-gain trajectory, early-adulthood obesity onset, and higher weight gain between ages 17 and 29 were associated with higher mortality risk. People who developed obesity between ages 17 and 29 had about a 70% higher risk of death during the follow-up period compared with those who had not developed obesity by age 60. 

The Takeaway: Obesity before age 30 had the strongest link to premature death, especially in men, with a substantially higher risk of liver, pancreatic, kidney, colon, and other cancers. In women, the cancer risk remained about the same regardless of when they gained weight. But the risks were not limited just to obesity. Gaining 6.5 kg (about 14 pounds) between 17 and 30 was associated with about 17% higher risk of premature death. More weight gain was associated with higher risk. 

Keep in Mind: Important potential confounders, like activity level, diet, and alcohol use, were not included in the analysis.