Canadian scientists have summarized the results of more than 200 studies analyzing the influence of excess weight on the development of various diseases and pathological conditions and found that obesity is a factor that accelerates all aging processes. The results are published in Obesity Reviews.
The World Health Organization estimates that about 1.9 billion adults and 380 million children are overweight or obese. Compared to 1975, this figure for adults has doubled, and for children and adolescents - increased 10 times. More people in the world today die from the effects of obesity than from wasting.
Canadian scientists from Concordia University in Montreal conducted a summarizing meta-analysis of more than 200 studies assessing the relationship between obesity and predisposition to various types of genetic disorders, weakened immunity and the development of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases. …
The review examines the effects of excess weight on all body processes, from cellular and molecular effects to the effect of the condition on the immune system, cognitive function, mobility, and more.
“Already at the most subtle levels, we see obesity as a factor accelerating the mechanisms of aging,” said study leader and clinical nutritionist Sylvia Santosa in a press release. "In fact, the mechanisms by which the comorbidities of obesity and aging develop are very similar."
According to scientists, obesity in terms of its health burden is, in fact, a mirror of aging, one of its forms, which implies an earlier onset of chronic diseases usually associated with aging.
The results of the study showed that obese people over 40 had 5.8 years less life expectancy for men and 7.1 years for women, compared to people of normal weight.
"To the extent that we can draw parallels in terms of pathology, obesity and aging are rather two sides of the same coin," says Santos.
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Thus, obesity-induced apoptosis - a process of programmed cell death - is observed in the cells of the heart, liver, kidneys, neurons, and retina. Being overweight also suppresses autophagy, a process that removes and utilizes damaged cell components. These factors can lead to the development of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular disease.
At the genetic level, overweight people have the effect of shortening telomeres - protective caps at the ends of DNA strands, the length of which is directly related to longevity. Obese patients may have telomeres up to 25% shorter than those of normal weight people.
Other examples of the effects of obesity on the body cited in the study include mitochondrial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and a weakened immune response. For this reason, obese people are more susceptible to infections.
The authors believe that being overweight should be considered a factor in early aging, which will allow rethinking the context of the problem of the global obesity epidemic related to sedentary lifestyles and diet.
“Against the background of obesity, the body undergoes processes that accelerate the aging process. We hope that our work will help to rethink the consequences of being overweight in people,”concluded Santos.