Two sides of the coin
Scientists compared obesity with premature aging
Canadian scientists have summarized the results of more than 200 studies on the analysis of the influence of overweight 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 the journal Obesity Reviews (Tam et al., Obesity and aging: Two sides of the same coin).
The World Health Organization estimates that about 1.9 billion adults and 380 million children are overweight or obese. Compared with 1975, this indicator for adults doubled, and for children and adolescents – increased 10 times. Today, more people in the world die from the effects of obesity than from exhaustion.
Canadian scientists from Concordia University in Montreal conducted a generalizing meta-analysis of more than 200 studies assessing the relationship of obesity with a 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 impact of excess weight on all body processes, from cellular and molecular effects to the effect of the condition on the immune system, cognitive functions, mobility and much more.
"Already at the most subtle levels, we see that obesity is a factor that accelerates the mechanisms of aging," the words of the head of the study, clinical nutritionist Sylvia Santosa, are quoted in a press release. "In fact, the mechanisms by which the concomitant diseases of obesity and aging develop are very similar."
According to scientists, obesity in terms of its burden on health is, in fact, a mirror of aging, one of its forms, which suggests an earlier onset of chronic diseases usually associated with aging.
The results of the study showed that people over 40 who are obese have a life expectancy of 5.8 years less for men and 7.1 years less for women, compared with people with normal weight.
"To the extent that we can draw parallels from the point of view of pathology, obesity and aging are rather two sides of the same coin," notes Santos.
Thus, obesity–induced apoptosis – the 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 aimed at removing and disposing of damaged cell components. These factors can lead to the development of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular diseases.
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. In obese patients, telomeres can be 25% shorter than in people with normal body weight.
Other examples of the effects of obesity on the body cited in the study include mitochondrial dysfunction, systemic inflammation, and weakening of immune system responses. For this reason, obese people are more susceptible to infections.
The authors believe that overweight should be considered as a factor of early aging, which will allow rethinking the context of the problem of the global obesity epidemic associated with a sedentary lifestyle and nutrition.
"Against the background of obesity, processes occur in the body that accelerate the aging process. We hope that our work will help to take a fresh look at the consequences of being overweight in people," concluded Santos.
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