OTTAWA: Being overweight and obesity have the potential to decrease life expectancy of individuals by up to eight years, says an alarming study, adding that being overweight could be as bad as cigarette smoking.
“In terms of life-expectancy, we feel being overweight is as bad as cigarette smoking,” said lead author Steven Grover, professor of medicine at McGill University in Canada.
What is more, the study demonstrates that as obese and overweight individuals may also develop diabetes or cardiovascular disease earlier in life, this excess weight can rob them of nearly two decades of healthy life, The Lancet reported.
“Our team has developed a computer model to help doctors and their patients better understand how excess body weight contributes to reduced life expectancy and premature development of heart disease and diabetes,” Grover said.
“The pattern is clear – the more an individual weighs and the younger their age, the greater the effect on their health,” Grover added.
