Stanford University researcher finds that young people are at growing risk from extreme heat

Young People at Greater Risk from Extreme Heat: When we think about the dangers of extreme heat, we often imagine older people whose bodies become less effective at regulating temperature as they age. However, a new study is illuminating a surprising at-risk group—young people.

A recent study published in Science Advances reveals that young people, particularly those under 35, are disproportionately affected by heat-related deaths. Researchers focused on Mexico, where nearly three-quarters of the country's deaths related to extreme heat in recent decades occurred in people under 35, with children under four and adults between the ages of 18 and 35 most at risk.

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This finding highlights a growing and often overlooked vulnerability in the face of climate change. As temperatures continue to rise, the risk to young people is expected to increase even further.

Shifting Risks: From Cold to Heat

The study by environmental scientists, including Andrew Wilson from Stanford University, found that the warming climate is likely to shift the burden of temperature-related deaths. Historically, older adults, especially those living in colder regions, were more likely to die from extreme cold. However, with rising global temperatures, the risk of heat-related deaths is expected to increase, particularly for younger people in already hot regions like Mexico.

Andrew Wilson describes the findings as "surprising inequality across age groups." While temperature-related deaths have traditionally been concentrated in older populations, the growing intensity of heat waves is shifting that risk to younger individuals.

The study projects that deaths related to temperature in Mexico may actually decline as cold-related fatalities decrease. However, the demographic most affected is changing, with younger people becoming increasingly vulnerable to heat-related illness. The implications are far-reaching, not just for Mexico but for other countries that are already experiencing rising temperatures, including the U.S.

Why Young People Are Vulnerable

The study used detailed death records from Mexico and compared them with weather patterns, like temperature and humidity, to identify trends in heat-related fatalities. They found it striking that young people are more vulnerable to extreme heat than previously thought.

While the elderly are often the focus of heat-related public health campaigns, young people face unique challenges, especially in the face of rising humidity. Babies and young children, for example, are particularly vulnerable to heat because their bodies generate more heat at rest and have less surface area to dissipate that heat. Babies are essentially little "heat traps," with smaller bodies absorbing heat much more easily than adults. Environmental health expert Dan Vecellio from the University of Nebraska explains, “You're a bigger ball that can absorb more heat easier.”

For young adults, the body's natural mechanisms for coping with heat—like sweating and adjusting blood flow—are more effective than in older individuals. However, when young people exercise or work outside in extreme conditions, their bodies become much more vulnerable to heat stress and heatstroke. This is particularly true for people working in high-heat environments, like construction workers, farm laborers, and those without access to air conditioning.

Humidity further complicates the body's ability to regulate temperature. Sweat is the body's primary cooling mechanism, but in high-humidity conditions, sweat can't evaporate as efficiently, trapping heat and increasing the risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The study found that heat-related deaths were linked to extreme temperatures and high humidity, even in temperatures as low as the 80s Fahrenheit.

These risks are even more pronounced in regions like Mexico, where the combination of heat and humidity is already a deadly mix.

The Future: More Heat, More Deaths

As the climate warms, we are expected to see more days of extreme heat, especially in regions already experiencing high temperatures. The study's authors project that deaths from cold weather will decline in many parts of the world, but the rise in heat-related deaths will far outweigh these reductions.

Tamma Carleton, an environmental economist at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in the study, notes that while some colder regions might see fewer deaths due to lower winter temperatures, hot areas like Mexico will face rising temperatures that could overwhelm any benefits from fewer cold-related deaths. "In most of the world, we're going to see net increases [in temperature-related deaths]," Carleton says because the rise in heat-related deaths will outpace the drop in cold-related deaths.

This trend could be especially dangerous for countries that have contributed the least to global warming. As these nations are often the most vulnerable to climate change, the burden of heat-related illness will disproportionately affect populations that have done the least to cause the crisis.

Solutions for Protecting Young People

While much of the focus on heat-related health risks has centered on older adults, the new study calls for greater attention to the younger population. "Sometimes we forget to talk about this population in the middle age range," says Jenni Vanos, a heat and climate expert at Arizona State University, who was not involved in the study. In places like Maricopa County, Arizona, where heat deaths are a persistent problem, many of those who die from heat-related causes are young adults, often men who work outdoors or unhoused people.

The situation is similar in Mexico, where young people working outdoors, especially in agriculture or construction, are at heightened risk. In both countries, addressing the health risks of heat requires policy changes, improved workplace safety standards, and public health outreach tailored to the younger population.

In the U.S., for example, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is working to implement a workplace heat rule that would protect workers exposed to extreme heat. These regulations could help protect young workers, especially those working outside or in hot indoor environments, from heat-related illnesses and deaths.

Protecting young people from extreme heat requires more than just focusing on older people. It's about ensuring that all age groups, from infants to adults, are prepared to cope with the rising temperatures of a warming world.

A Call to Action

The study serves as a wake-up call, urging policymakers, public health officials, and communities to reassess how we approach extreme heat and its impact on public health. With climate change accelerating, it's clear that heat will affect people of all ages and that younger people need more attention regarding heat safety. As the world continues to warm, ensuring that everyone—from young children to young adults—has the resources and support to survive extreme heat will be crucial in reducing the human toll of a changing climate.

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As we adapt to the realities of a hotter world, we must rethink our approach to climate-related health risks and take action before more lives are lost. The time to act is now—because when it comes to protecting young people from extreme heat, their lives depend on it. For continuous updates from around the world, stay with Education Post News.