Excess weight during adolescence is associated with accelerated biological aging
Quick Look
Scientists at the University of Jyväskylä have found that a high body mass index in adolescence correlates with accelerated biological aging decades later, which increases the risk of chronic diseases.
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Why It Matters
The study is based on data from a Finnish longitudinal project covering a period of about 40 years. Participants' biological age was estimated using an epigenetic clock.
Excess weight during adolescence may be associated with accelerated biological aging decades later. Scientists from the University of Jyvaskylä in Finland came to this conclusion. The study was published in the International Journal of Obesity (IJO).
The researchers used data from participants in a multi-year Finnish study who were followed for about 40 years. Body mass index (BMI) was measured from ages 9 to 18 years, and biological age was later estimated using an epigenetic clock based on DNA changes.
It turned out that higher BMI in adolescence was associated with faster biological aging in adulthood. The connection was especially pronounced in people who simultaneously had a high BMI and a genetic predisposition to it.
Additional analyzes using Mendelian randomization indicated a possible causal relationship between high BMI in youth and accelerated aging. However, part of the effect may be explained by the persistence of excess weight in adulthood.
According to the authors, the results highlight the importance of preventing excess weight already in childhood and adolescence. Accelerated biological aging, in turn, is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and premature death.
Open Questions
- What specific mechanisms of DNA methylation link BMI and aging?
