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Weight Gains Across Adulthood-The ELSA-Brasil Study
Scheine L Canhada1, Paula A Bracco1, Maria de Jesus Fonseca2
1Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Clinical Obesity
|July 7, 2026
Summary
Adults gain significant weight and fat mass before age 35. Interventions targeting young adults could reduce the long-term burden of obesity.
Area of Science:
- Human health
- Aging research
- Obesity studies
Background:
- Understanding age-related body composition changes is crucial for public health.
- Obesity is a growing concern with significant long-term health implications.
- Early life factors significantly influence adult weight trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe weight, fat mass, skeletal mass, and waist circumference changes across the adult lifespan.
- To identify critical periods for weight gain and intervention.
- To analyze body composition changes in a large Brazilian cohort.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 11,611 participants from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).
- Data collected between 2008 and 2024, including anthropometric measurements and bioimpedance.
- Generalized estimating equations with restricted cubic splines used to model age-related changes.
Main Results:
- Mean weight gain of 15 kg from age 20 to 60, with 50% occurring before age 35.
- Peak annual weight gain observed between ages 40-45, followed by stabilization (ages 55-65) and then decrease.
- Waist circumference increased steadily until age 75, independent of weight trajectory.
Conclusions:
- A substantial portion of adult weight gain occurs in early adulthood (before age 35).
- Targeting young adults with interventions could significantly impact obesity incidence and burden.
- Waist circumference tracking suggests ongoing abdominal fat accumulation throughout adulthood.
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