Being severely obese can cut a person’s life short by up to eight years and cause decades of ill health, according to a study carried out by researchers from McGill University in Canada.

The findings, published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, showed that being obese at a young age is more damaging to health and life expectancy.

The data highlights an opportunity for the spa industry to offer its expertise in providing comprehensive preventative care – particularly for youngsters – in the form of lifestyle interventions. For adults, detoxes and body wraps could also be effective.

A computer model was used to calculate the impact of weight on life expectancy throughout life, which uncovered a clear gender difference in terms of vulnerability.

In comparison to 20-39 year-olds of a healthy weight, severely obese men of the same age lost 8.4 years of life and women lost 6.1 years.

Men also spent 18.8 more years living in poor health, while the respective figure for women is 19.1.

For people in their forties and fifties, men lost 3.7 years of life and women lost 5.3 years to obesity.

Men and women in their sixties and seventies lost just one year of life to obesity, but still faced seven years of ill health.

“The pattern is clear,” said Professor Steven Grover. “The more an individual weighs and the younger their age, the greater the effect on their health - as they have many years ahead of them during which the increased health risks associated with obesity can negatively impact their lives.

“Our computer modelling study shows that obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, as well as diabetes,” added Grover.

The spa industry is well-placed to help overcome the obesity epidemic – thus enhancing both the duration and quality of lives – by offering customised preventative treatments and education to clients of all ages. In the Q4 2014 edition of Spa Business a selection of industry experts explored the pragmatics of offering fasting at spas and the systems needed to ensure its success.