London, Apr 30 (IANS): Families of chubby youngsters, beware! Men who turn obese in their early 20s are significantly less likely to reach their middle age, a new study published in the British Medical Journal has suggested.

Also such youngsters are also up to eight times more likely to suffer diabetes, potentially fatal blood clots or a heart attack, Daily Mail reported.

It has been well-known how obesity in adulthood could pose a risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But it was not clear earlier whether obesity in early adulthood strengthened that risk.

For the study, researchers tracked the health of 6,500 Danish 22-year-old men for 33 years up to the age of 55.

Almost half of those classified as obese at the age of 22 were diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, blood clots in the legs or lungs, or had died before reaching the age of 55.

The latest findings have prompted researchers to warn that the continuing rise in obesity may counteract the fall in deaths from heart disease.

"Obesity-related morbidity and mortality will, in decades to come, place an unprecedented burden on healthcare systems worldwide," said researchers.

It may be worth remembering normal weight is classified as a body mass index (BMI) of between 18.5 and 25; obesity is classified as a BMI of 30 or more.