Overweight elderly live longer
Reported February 04, 2010
A few extra pounds help you live longer if you’re past your prime but otherwise healthy.
Physicians routinely follow guidelines issued by the World Health Organization when they advise patients about their waistline. Because weight depends on height, they use a standard measure called body mass index (BMI), which is calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the height in metres squared. Healthy weight is defined as a BMI anywhere between 18.5 and 24.9 in adults, whereas 25 to 29.9 is overweight and 30+ is obese.
The following study suggests that in the elderly, these boundaries may be too narrow. While no one is questioning that extra fat poses health risks in young and middle-aged adults, it may cushion the impact of frailty and old age.
So far, nobody knows exactly how BMI affects lifespan in older people. Some researchers speculate that it acts as an energy reserve that can help the elderly cope with illness.
Researchers followed 9,240 men and women in Australia who were between 70 and 75 years old at the outset. The participants reported their height and weight as well as various factors related to health and lifestyle. About 33 percent of the women and 44 percent of the men were overweight.
Over 10 years, more than 2,000 of the participants died. Women who had an active life and didn’t smoke were the most likely to be alive at the end of the study. But neither health nor lifestyle could fully explain why overweight people of both sexes survived longer than their normal-weight peers, who fared no better than obese individuals. In terms of survival, the best BMI was between 26 and 27, well within the overweight range.
The above results are consistent with earlier research showing that fat may be beneficial in old age. The findings are based on people living in the community and may not apply to sick or frail people in nursing homes. If somebody is over the age of 70 years, and does not have a specific problem associated with being overweight (such as diabetes mellitus or severe osteoarthritis) then there might be no need to advise weight loss.
Though other experts urge caution before changing medical recommendations, the researchers concluded that if you are healthy and fit once you reach 70, you probably don’t have to worry about a little extra fat, because the negative health consequences usually don’t kick in for several years.
Source : NDTV Convergence Limited
