Weight Gain Associated with Accelerated Lung Function Decline in Adulthood

Lung function declines naturally over the course of the human lifespan. However, this decline is steeper in individuals who experience moderate or high weight gain.

This was the conclusion of a new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by ”la Caixa”, which analysed the effect of weight changes on respiratory health over a 20-year period.

The study, published in the journal Thorax, was based on data collected from 3,700 participants recruited between the ages of 20 and 44 years. Participants repeatedly underwent measurements of weight and lung function—by means of spirometry—between 1991 and 2014.