A new study shows that children who suffer from severe obesity at age 4 can see their life expectancy cut in half.
- A child who suffers from severe obesity at age 4 and does not lose weight has a life expectancy of just 39 years, new study finds
- His risk of developing diabetes at age 35 is 45%.
- Weight loss in childhood helps reduce the harmful effects of severe childhood obesity on life expectancy.
A child suffering from severe obesity at age 4, without ever losing weight to return to a lower BMI, has a life expectancy of only 39 years. Here is the worrying finding of a modeling study presented at the European Obesity Congress in Venice which leads researchers to affirm that childhood obesity is a potentially fatal disease.
Diabetes, life expectancy: severe childhood obesity has long-term effects
To better understand the long-term impact of childhood obesity on health, researchers created an obesity model based on four variables: age of onset, duration of obesity, risks irreversible (health effects that persist even after weight loss) and the severity of obesity. For the latter, the team used the BMI Z score which measures the gap between the child’s BMI and the normal BMI for their age and sex (0: normal weight, 2: obesity , 3.5: severe obesity).
To develop their model, the scientists also used data from 50 existing clinical studies on obesity and obesity-related comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular events and fatty liver disease. This represents more than 10 million participants from all over the world, 2.7 million of whom were aged 2 to 29.
Conclusion of their calculations: early and severe obesity during childhood increases the probability of developing associated comorbidities. For example, a person with a BMI Z-score of 3.5 at age 4 and who does not lose weight as they grow up has a 27% risk of developing type 2 diabetes by age 25. years. The risk is 45% at age 35.
The researchers’ work also showed that suffering from obesity during young years reduces life expectancy. The number of years lost increases with severity. Thus, obese children at the age of 4 (BMI Z-score of 2) who do not record weight loss have a life expectancy of 65 years (instead of approximately 80 years). She is 50 years old with a BMI Z score of 2.5, and 39 years old with a BMI Z score of 3.5.
If obesity appears later, the impact is less. For example, a BMI Z-score of 3.5 at age 12 with no subsequent weight reduction gives an average life expectancy of 42 years.
Severe childhood obesity: weight loss “restores decades of life”
While childhood obesity has long-term repercussions, weight loss has a positive effect. For example, a person with severe early-onset obesity (Z-score of 4) at age 4 and who does not lose excess weight thereafter has a life expectancy of 37 years and a 55% risk of developing diabetes. 2 to 35 years old. On the other hand, if weight loss allows you to have a BMI Z score of 2 at the age of 6, life expectancy will increase to 64 years and the risk of type 2 diabetes will drop to 29%.
Modeling also shows that shedding extra pounds yields more years of life during childhood than if it occurs later. “The early-onset obesity model shows that weight loss has a striking effect on life expectancy and risk of comorbidity, particularly when weight is lost early in life”says Dr Wiedemann who presented the study at the European Obesity Congress.
“It is clear that childhood obesity must be considered a life-threatening disease. It is essential that treatment is not delayed until the onset of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or other “warning signs”, and that it must start early. Early diagnosis should and can improve the quality and length of life.adds the expert in a communicated.
