Obesity in late teens 'as hazardous as heavy smoking'

Obesity in late adolescence carries the same risk of premature death as smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day, according to new Swedish research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on 24 February. Meanwhile, those who are overweight in their late teens have a similar risk of dying early as a light smoker. The researchers conclude that public-health initiatives should continue to target smoking and obesity among adolescents.