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Most complications related to obesity may be due to accelerated aging.

Weight loss is the best way to prevent obesity and age-related health issues.

However, without weight loss, we can also delay obesity-related aging complications.

Obesity is not just about the number on the scale. It quietly messes with your daily life. You buy clothes, and they do not fit right. Socially, people treat you differently, even if they do not say it. You start avoiding gatherings because you do not want to be judged. Over time, your confidence fades. You feel less capable, less visible. But here is the real kicker: While society judges your appearance, your body is paying a much heavier price. Diabetes, heart disease, memory problems, even cancer — they all become more likely. So, it is not just about looking good. It is about staying alive and feeling like yourself again.

What ultimately causes obesity to kill us is comorbidity with other illnesses. Most of these health consequences are common to diseases that accompany us as we age, yet they occur before obese people reach old age. In other words, obesity accelerates the rate of aging and the onset of age-related diseases.

Why does obesity speed aging?

Obesity promotes aging across multiple tissues and organs [1]. Based on new findings, aging begins with changes in the form and function of cells. This cellular aging, called senescence, was first described by Hayflick and Moorhead in the 1960s. They found that normal cells have a finite lifespan. After this time, they do not die but lose their ability to function and divide. Additionally, they release certain harmful chemical compounds, most of which are inflammatory molecules. These chemicals act as an "eat me" signal, attracting immune cells to eliminate them.

However, if these aged cells accumulate for........

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