Obesity Costs Eight Years Life Expectancy

A new study has found that obesity can shorten life by more than eight years. It can also rob a person of enjoying about 19 years of good health as obese people are prone to diabetes and heart disease.

Scientists from University of Montreal in Canada used a computer model to calculate the risk of death with chronic conditions commonly associated with being overweight and obese. Published in the journal Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, the study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

The research shows that people who are obese early in life face the biggest impact of obesity while the toll is quite modest on those who become obese in their 60s or 70s.

Steven Grove, lead author and Professor of Medicine at McGill, said: "Our computer modelling study shows that obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, and diabetes that will, on average, dramatically reduce an individual's life expectancy," the BBC News reported.  

"The pattern is clear. The more an individual weighs and the younger their age, the greater the effect on their health, as they have many years ahead of them during which the increased health risks associated with obesity can negatively impact their lives."

People with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30 are considered overweight while those with BMI of 30 to 35 are considered obese. Having a BMI of more than 35 means being extremely obese.

"How many more wake-up calls do we need?" said Barbara Dinsdale, lifestyle manager for the charity Heart Research UK, in response to the findings of the study.

"This research study yet again supports the clear message that by becoming obese you not only take years off your life, but also life off your years in terms of experiencing more years in poor health rather than enjoying a happy, active and productive life."