Adolescent and Childhood Obesity and Excess Morbidity and Mortality in Young Adulthood—a Systematic Review

Adi Horesh, Avishai M. Tsur, Aya Bardugo, Gilad Twig*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

92 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose of Review: Rates of childhood obesity have been soaring in recent decades. The association between obesity in adulthood and excess morbidity and mortality has been readily established, whereas the association of childhood and adolescent obesity has not. The purpose of this review is to summarize existing data regarding the association of the presence of obesity in childhood/adolescence and early-onset adverse outcomes in adulthood, with specific focus on young adults under the age of 45 years. Recent Findings: Diabetes, cancer, and cardiometabolic outcomes in midlife are closely linked to childhood and adolescent obesity. Summary: Childhood and adolescent obesity confer major risks of excess and premature morbidity and mortality, which may be evident before age 30 years in both sexes. The scientific literature is mixed regarding the independent risk of illness, which may be attributed to childhood BMI regardless of adult BMI, and additional data is required to establish causality between the two. Nonetheless, the increasing prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity may impose an increase of disease burden in midlife, emphasizing the need for effective interventions to be implemented at a young age.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)301-310
Number of pages10
JournalCurrent Obesity Reports
Volume10
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2021

Keywords

  • Adolescence
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Young adults

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Adolescent and Childhood Obesity and Excess Morbidity and Mortality in Young Adulthood—a Systematic Review'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this