January 13, 2003 – Young people who are overweight, here is a suggested resolution for 2003: lose weight. According to a recent study,1 obesity at the age of 20 reduces life expectancy by up to 20 years in men and up to 8 years in women.
Led by Kevin Fontaine of Johns Hopkins University, the study on the impact of obesity on longevity is the first of its kind to assess life expectancy in relation to weight. To achieve this, the researchers examined nutritional surveys spanned over a period of 30 years.
The study determined the optimal weight of 83 kilograms (183 lbs) for a 1.83 meter (6 foot) man and 65 kilograms (143 lb) for a 1.63 meter (5 foot 4 inch) woman. ). Adults with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 have their life expectancy automatically reduced. For example, for a 20-year-old Caucasian male weighing 113 kilos (249 lbs), life expectancy drops by 3 years and by 13 years for a weight of 150 kg (330 lbs).
Obese black men and women would die even younger. For those in a state of extreme obesity, the reduction in their longevity is 20 years for men and 8 years for women. According to the researchers, other factors (smoking, higher homicides among blacks, etc.) may however explain this difference between whites and blacks.
In the United States, obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. According to a recent study from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than 44 million adult Americans are considered obese, an increase of 5.6% in one year and a 74% increase since 1991.
Stéphane Gagné – PasseportSanté.net
According to The Globe and Mail, January 8, 2003 and Agence France Presse, December 31, 2002.
1. Kevin R. Fontaine, David T. Redden, Chenxi Wang, Andrew O. Westfall, David B. Allison. Years of Life Lost Due to Obesity. JAMA, Flight. 289 No. 2, January 8, 2003. http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/current/abs/joc20945.html.[Consulté le 8 janvier 2002].
