The dreaded spread of midlife overweight is now affecting more people and reaching a younger age than ever, according to a study . Data was collected from 65,000 people in four studies and revealed that people today are gaining more weight in their 40s and 50s compared to generations past.
Researchers from the United States say that understanding changes in BMI increases throughout life is key to preventing rapid weight gain at key points in a person’s life, such as adolescence.
Young people today weigh more than 50 years ago
Image: PNAS study graph
The scientists divided all the participants into 17 groups based on when they were born, with each cohort spanning five years and dating back to before 1905. Analysis revealed that each group had a higher average BMI than people born in the previous generation . There was also a steeper increase in BMI as people aged compared to their elders.
For example, for people born between 1955 and 1959, the average BMI between the ages of 20 and 29 was 24.4, a healthy weight. This then steadily increased and the average BMI was obese (over 30) when they were between the ages of 50 and 59. But for people born between 1960 and 1964, the average BMI was overweight (over 25) in their 20s. By the time they were 40, they were obese. For people born between 1980 and 1984, they were at a healthy weight in their teens, overweight in their 20s and obese in their 30s, on average.
” We found higher mean levels and greater increases in BMI with age in the most recent birth cohorts compared to previous birth cohorts, ” the researchers write in their study.
Black women tend to have a higher BMI
Image: PNAS study graph
They also found racial disparities in BMI as people age, and white women have lower IM C that black and Hispanic women. A similar pattern was observed for men, but with fewer differences between races.
” Black and Hispanic excesses in body mass index compared to whites occurred early in life and persisted across all ages, and, in the case of black-white disparities, were greater for cohorts more recent, “add the researchers in their article, published in PNAS.
The data also revealed that people with higher education had lower BMI, on average.
These findings may inform strategies to prevent rapid weight gain during the critical window of adolescence and young adulthood, reduce racial and educational disparities in obesity, and ultimately improve health outcomes at all ages. according to the authors.
