SHEDDING excess weight before adulthood could dramatically lower future heart risks, new research finds. A large Swedish cohort study shows that individuals who were overweight in childhood but normalised their weight by young adulthood have a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
Early Weight Management Matters
Childhood overweight has long been linked to adult coronary heart disease, yet the extent to which early intervention can alter this risk has remained unclear. Understanding how weight changes from childhood to young adulthood affects long-term cardiovascular health can help shape prevention strategies.
Methods and Results: Tracking Over 103,000 Swedes
Researchers conducted a population-based cohort study including 103 232 individuals born between 1945 and 1968 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Childhood BMI was recorded at age 7 for girls and 8 for boys, with young adult BMI measured at 18 and 20, respectively. Register-derived diagnoses of coronary heart disease were then tracked. Individuals who resolved childhood overweight by young adulthood had a similar CHD risk to those with persistent normal weight (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.84-1.14). Persistent overweight or pubertal-onset overweight increased adult CHD risk (HR, 1.53 and 1.83, respectively), with pubertal-onset overweight showing the highest risk compared to persistent overweight (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.03-1.49; P = .03).
Conclusions and Implications: Early Intervention is Key
These findings highlight the importance of early detection and management of childhood overweight to prevent future coronary heart disease. Public health strategies that support weight normalisation in children could play a crucial role in reducing adult cardiovascular disease, emphasising the potential long-term benefits of early lifestyle interventions.
Reference
Ohlsson C et al. Change in weight status from childhood to young adulthood and risk of adult coronary heart disease. JAMA Pediatr. 2025;DOI:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.4950.
