Assuming current trends associated with obesity will continue, researchers estimate the life-shortening effect of obesity to be one-third to three-fourths of a year by century's end, according to a special report in the March issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

"Our estimate, a conservative one, is clearly consequential," said David B. Allison, Ph.D., UAB professor of public health in the Department of Biostatistics and co-investigator of the study.

"Already it is larger than the negative effect of accidental deaths on life expectancy, and it easily could rise to two-to-five years in coming decades." Researchers hope findings will serve as a catalyst for change in the prevention and treatment of obesity among Americans. 

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