On Feb. 18, 2013, U.S. News and World Report published a HealthDay story by Denise Mann, Youth Smoking, Obesity May Lead to Early Death. New government research has suggested that young adults and teens who smoke, are obese and have high blood sugar levels may be more likely to die before they reach their 55th birthday. In an article on Feb. 18, 2013, Todd Neale has reported for Medpage Today, Cardio Risk Factors Predict Early Death.
Researchers have found adolescents and young adults with a range of cardiometabolic risk factors have an increased risk of dying before they turn 55. According to Sharon Saydah, PhD, of the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation in Atlanta, and colleagues, central obesity, smoking, and hyperglycemia at a single assessment, among individuals ages 12 to 39, has been found to be associated with premature death from any cause within the next 12 to 18 years. Furthermore, the presence of hypertension at a young age was found to be associated with dying from endogenous causes, or diseases or self-inflicted injury but
not accidents or homicides, before age 55.
The researchers have written, "Although it is well established that many early deaths, especially among teenagers and young adults, are caused by injuries, the extent to which risk factors for disease are also associated with early deaths has not been well studied. Our findings suggest that, at least in the United States, certain cardiometabolic risk factors also contribute substantially to the overall risk for early death and to the social loss that such deaths entail." The researchers have also written, "These findings underscore the importance of obesity prevention and tobacco control interventions for adolescents and young adults."
