Energy balance
Maintaining a body mass index (BMI) of 23.0–24.9 or higher at age 21, or gaining 2.5 kg or more during adulthood, significantly increases the risk of major chronic diseases (type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity-related cancers) in men.
For men, keeping a BMI below 23 at age 21 and avoiding adult weight gain are critical for preventing diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Even 'modest' overweight or small weight gains (2.5+ kg) significantly increase risk, so maintaining a leaner early-adulthood weight is a high-leverage health strategy.
Adiposity in early adulthood and adult weight gain were both associated with marked increases in the risk of major chronic diseases in middle-aged and older men, and these associations were already apparent at modest levels of overweight and weight gain.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort (n=39,909), long follow-up (22 years), rigorous adjustment for confounders.
Source
Overweight in Early Adulthood, Adult Weight Change, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Certain Cancers in Men: a Cohort Study
Renée de Mutsert et al. · American Journal of Epidemiology · 2014
DOI 10.1093/aje/kwu052
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