Teenagers who live in poorer areas are more likely to become or remain obese in adulthood compared to their more well-off peers, a new study has found.

It is already known that the risk of obesity is higher in poorer socioeconomic areas. US researchers decided to look specifically at the impact of living in such areas on teenagers aged between 12 and 17. All were monitored over a 13-year period.

The researchers wanted to assess what the odds of becoming obese were as these young people transitioned into adulthood. They also wanted to see whether moving into or out of such areas during this crucial time had any impact.

The study found that when teenagers moved into a poorer area, their risk of becoming obese increased. However, if they moved out of such an area, their risk decreased.

Those who grew up in and lived consistently in poorer areas had the biggest risk of becoming obese and remaining obese in the future.

The researchers suggested a number of reasons for the findings, including a lack of exercise amenities and a lack of healthy food sources.

"The research demonstrates that the long-term residential experiences of teenagers can affect their life-long health. It's encouraging to see that the risk of obesity can be curtailed by moving out of low-income areas," the researchers from the University of Colarado in Denver said.

Details of these findings are published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.