Worry, Fear, or Attention? Is Generation Z Getting Metabolically Older Prematurely Due to Obesity?

Abstract Background: Childhood obesity is on the rise and is becoming a health challenge. This is the first study in Asia to evaluate the metabolic health of Generation Z (Gen Z) (patients born between 1997 and 2012) with moderate-to-severe obesity. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and eighty-four patients aged between 12 and 27 years old, 89 males and 95 females, with obesity grade ≥I, visiting a single bariatric center between 2015 and 2023 were investigated before any intervention, and the parameters were subsequently statistically analyzed using SPSS version 29:0. Statistically significant ( P < 0.05) findings were subjected to subgroup correlation. Results: The study analyzed a population with a mean body mass index of 41.7 ± 7.3 kg/m 2 , waist circumference of 118 ± 16.9 cm, and hemoglobin A1C of 6.0% ±1.3%. Blood sugar and insulin levels, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D3 levels were measured. Clinically, 92% had gynecomastia, 39.3% had pseudohypogonadism, and 63.4% had polycystic ovarian disease. Hypothyroidism was present in 12.5% of patients. Obstructive sleep apnea was prevalent in 54.9%, joint pain was 37%, and psychological disturbances were 25.5%. About 75.5% of the patients had more than 3 comorbidities. Conclusion: Gen Z’s early metabolic abnormalities raise concerns about long-term complications and obesity-induced diseases, necessitating an action plan for prevention and treatment to ensure their well-being.