PLoS One
Weight history key to heart risk for younger adults
Clinical takeaway: Earlier weight reduction and sustained control matter more than a single BMI reading for long-term cardiovascular risk.
Weight trajectory may matter more than a one-time measurement. In this study, cumulative exposure to excess weight tracked more closely with heart attack and stroke risk than baseline BMI.
In a prospective cohort of 136,498 adults followed for an average of 16.7 years, excess weight exposure was most strongly associated with cardiovascular risk in younger adults, including women younger than 35 and men ages 35 to 64. Associations were smaller in midlife and not observed in older women or men.
“Excess weight at any given point in time is not a life sentence,” said Alexander Turchin, MD, MS, of the Division of Endocrinology in the Mass General Brigham Department of Medicine. “What happens to someone’s weight over long periods of time matters more for heart health.”
Source: Turchin A, et al. PLOS One. April 8, 2026. Cumulative Excess Weight Exposure over Time and Cardiovascular Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study