Association between adolescent overweight and adult mortality risk: A systematic review

This systematic review examined the association between adolescent overweight and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in adulthood.

We searched for studies published between 2014 and 2024 that included adults (aged 20 years or older) who had been classified as having overweight and/or obesity during adolescence (aged 10 to 19 years). PubMed, Embase, Scopus, BVS/LILACS, and SciELO were searched between April and May 2024. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessments.

Eighteen of the 1256 records screened met the eligibility criteria. All studies used a cohort design, and most of them were conducted in high-income countries, with a median follow-up of 30 years. A consistent positive association was found between adolescent obesity and increased all-cause mortality in adulthood, particularly related to cardiovascular diseases. Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality ranged from 1.3 to 2.7, with higher risks observed among adolescents with severe obesity. Most studies (70 %) were classified as having high methodological quality, reflecting strong methodological rigor and a low risk of bias. Heterogeneity among studies precluded a meta-analysis.

Since adolescent obesity is a strong predictor of premature adult mortality, early prevention and intervention strategies in this age group may help reduce long-term mortality risk.