Study: Obesity Takes Years Off Lifespan

A new study from Oxford shows even moderate obesity can cut three years off your life expectancy.  The same study found severe obesity is as dangerous as smoking in terms of life expectancy:

The Oxford University research found that moderate obesity, which is now common, reduces life expectancy by about 3 years, and that severe obesity, which is still uncommon, can shorten a person’s life by 10 years. This 10 year loss is equal to the effects of lifelong smoking.

The analysis brought together data from 57 long-term research studies mostly based in Europe or North America. People were followed for an average of 10 to 15 years, during which 100,000 died, making it the largest ever investigation of how obesity affects mortality. It was coordinated by the Clinical Trial Service Unit (CTSU) in Oxford and the results are published online today (18 March) in The Lancet.  

You can read the rest of the article at the University of Oxford website.