Overweight and Obese Teens Have a Greater Likelihood of Dying before They Reach 50

Mortality rates among normal-weight teens born in the 1980s were lower compared with teens of a similar weight who were born 30 years earlier. However, researchers found no substantial gains in life expectancy among adults who were overweight or obese as teens. Among those who were normal-weight teenagers, death rates were 41% lower for those born in the 1980s than those born 30 years earlier. But people who were overweight or obese as teens showed no significant improvement in their survival rate over four decades. The researchers also found that overweight and obese teens were more likely to die before age 50 than normal-weight teens. Even teens who were near the upper end of the normal weight range had an increased risk of premature death. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, March 2014