A long-term Finnish study reveals that higher body mass index in adolescence may speed up biological ageing later in life, highlighting the impact of teenage weight on long-term health risks.
A Finnish long-term study suggests that a higher body mass index in adolescence may be linked to faster biological ageing later in life, adding to evidence that weight patterns in the teenage years can have consequences well into adulthood. Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä said the association was seen in data from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, which has tracked participants for around four decades.
The team measured biological age using DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks, which estimate ageing patterns from chemical changes in DNA. They found that adolescents with a higher BMI tended to show signs of accelerated biological ageing as adults. According to the university, the association was also seen in people with a genetic tendency towards higher BMI, suggesting that inherited risk may help shape both adolescent weight and later ageing.
The study went a step further by using Mendelian randomisation, a method that helps researchers test whether an observed link may be causal rather than merely associated. That analysis pointed in the same direction: higher BMI in adolescence may itself contribute to faster biological ageing. The researchers said this matters because faster biological ageing has been tied to a greater risk of chronic disease and earlier death, and may signal health risks before they are obvious in routine medical checks.
Anni Pitkänen, the doctoral researcher behind the work, said the findings underline the importance of preventing overweight and obesity across the life course. The study is part of the GenActive project led by Associate Professor Elina Sillanpää, and the researchers said it was supported by the Research Council of Finland, the Juho Vainio Foundation and the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation. The work was carried out with partners including the Gerontology Research Center, the Universities of Tampere and Turku, Jamk University of Applied Sciences and the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
