Putting a smile on chubby faces everywhere, a new study by Australian researchers finds that being overweight may be a boon for the elderly: among the 9,240 adults ages 70 to 75 in the study, those who were overweight were the least likely to die over 10 years, compared with people who were of normal weight or obese.
The study, published Thursday in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, looked at data from two long-term population-based studies and found that adults who were overweight had an average 13% lower risk of death from any cause over 10 years, compared with those who were of normal weight. Those who were underweight were 76% more likely to die, while the obese had the same mortality risk as those of normal weight. Researchers also found that being sedentary increased the risk of death in men by 28%; in women, the risk was doubled. (See how exercise can help aging bodies � and brains.)
The new report adds to the ongoing scientific debate over how to define ideal weight in adults and whether the widely used measure of weight categories � body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on a ratio of weight and height � is equally useful for all age groups. The World Health Organization defines normal weight as a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2; overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese, and under 18.5 underweight.
In 2007 a study by U.S. researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute found that overweight adults had a slightly lower risk of death than their normal-weight peers, largely because they were less likely to die from a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's, infections and lung disease. Another study in 2005, published in Obesity, analyzed data on more than 11,000 Canadian adults for over 12 years and found that people who were overweight were 17% less likely to die than those of normal weight. Underweight adults, by contrast, had a 73% higher risk of death.
The current study looked only at major causes of mortality, which the researchers grouped together as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease or other. In all weight categories, the leading causes of death were cardiovascular disease and cancer. The lowest risk of death from either cause occurred in overweight adults. (See a guide to preventing illness at any age.)
Why exactly excess weight would protect older adults is unclear, but the study's lead author, Leon Flicker, a professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Western Australia, offers a theory. "We can only hypothesize, but it may be that as we age, the presence of nutritional and metabolic reserves [that is, fat] are advantageous. If you develop an illness, a little more reserve gives you a greater chance to recover from that illness," he says.
The study has a few limitations, however. First, it used height and weight measurements that were reported by participants � which can be imperfect. (People tend to overestimate height and underestimate weight, which skews their BMI.) It also collected height and weight information only once, at the start of the study; researchers could not have known, for instance, whether people might have unintentionally lost weight before the study or during the follow-up as a result of underlying disease. Furthermore, the study's participants had a lower overall mortality rate than the general population, suggesting they were healthier to start with. Many overweight and obese people die at younger ages, and participants in Flicker's study necessarily had to survive until 70 in order to be included.
Preventive health experts also point out that there is a difference between survival and quality of life. Being overweight is a major risk factor for many health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, coronary disease, cancer and loss of physical function. "These are strong enough reasons to strive for a healthy weight and avoidance of obesity," says Dr. JoAnn Manson, a Harvard Medical School professor and chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Moreover, given all of the adverse effects of obesity on health, it isn't biologically plausible that overweight would lower mortality risks." (See the top 10 medical breakthroughs of 2009.)
Where researchers may agree is that BMI is an unreliable marker for body fat, or health, in the elderly. As people age, they lose muscle mass and bone density, which leads to weight loss and a declining BMI, despite an increase in body fat. Manson suggests measuring waist circumference instead, which is a more accurate gauge of abdominal obesity and tends to predict a higher risk of death in all age groups.
For the authors' part, they acknowledge that being overweight is not a condition to which we should aspire. "The evidence is overwhelming that in younger age groups being overweight increases your mortality risk and lots of other nonfatal conditions," says Flicker. But he adds that if you are among the population's successful agers, you are probably doing something right: "Having reached the age of 70 years, and you are overweight � not obese � there is no reason why you should lose weight, unless you have a condition that is associated with being overweight, such as diabetes mellitus or severe osteoarthritis."
Because all the food when are having this day is lack of nutrition.
Lack nutrition can cause our body become weaker and weaker.
If we have plenty of nutrition daily, i believe it will greatly improve our health.
I've heard that thin older women were more likely to get osteoporosis. My mother-in-law was very thin and they say her bones didn't even hardly show up on x-rays.
Guess pleasingly plump is the way to go!
__________________ "Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
I've heard that thin older women were more likely to get osteoporosis. My mother-in-law was very thin and they say her bones didn't even hardly show up on x-rays.
Guess pleasingly plump is the way to go!
Yup, that is true! Look at older women, the ones who are very thin are the ones who shrink the most.
This article is a fantastic example of the lack of common sense in a large percentage of the scientific community.
Just to clear this up, I'm not picking on jfh for posting it. That's what we are here for, to share information and our thoughts on subject matters dealing with natural medicine. Personally, I think jfh is cool.
The fact that people even conducted this study blows my mind. For Pete's sake, this is just stupid. I know, personal opinions and all that, but come on. Who in the hell was sitting around on a few thousand dollars (gods only know how much money was actually spent on this nonsense) and thought, "I know, let's perform some worthless experiment to find out if fat old people die as quickly as healthy old people."?
We don't need to study stupid stuff when there is a valid need to study the effects of natural medicines. Every time we turn around, there is a fantastic natural remedy that "hasn't undergone any scientific studies" and is therefore ignored despite hundreds or thousands of years of traditional and anecdotal evidence showing it to help people heal themselves.
Study something that could actually increase our understanding of natural health. We don't need to find out if being fat is good for us. Excess amounts of white adipose tissue is a product of poor diet and inadequate physical activity. And no, it's not okay. It's an imbalance and our bodies don't thrive under imbalanced conditions. It's that simple. We know this already.
I hope the people who conducted this study are embarrassed. If not, they should be.
I'm not entirely certain what happens to my sense of humor when I read articles like this. I apologize for my vaguely inflammatory statements
Now I'm going to go watch something funny on YouTube. I obviously need to lighten up.
Just to clear this up, I'm not picking on jfh for posting it. That's what we are here for, to share information and our thoughts on subject matters dealing with natural medicine. Personally, I think jfh is cool.
Study something that could actually increase our understanding of natural health. We don't need to find out if being fat is good for us.
Hi Spirit Raintree, hope you were able to decompress.
I give kudos to jfh for posting the article, and I agree with you, I also think he's .
I can't speak for jfh, but I think his comment saying "more cheeseburgers and fries, can't wait" was meant to be humorous ( I know it made me smile), like I intended with my "pleasingly plump" statement.
I'm just a regular person looking to live a healthier life as I age, and although I don't have any real expertise, or study anything, I'm VERY open to any health related articles, then in my own personal way, take away any information of interest.
Having said that, I have to completely agree with Saved 1986, when he says the thinner older women shrink the most. I don't agree with being obese in old age, from what I've seen in my days, is that the thinner older folks are more fragile, and seem to be stricken more than others with porous bone issues.
__________________ "Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
Thanks to all of you for handling my mini-rant with diplomacy. I do have a tendency to have strong opinions. Thanks for your tolerance
The humor in the posts by kind2creatures and jfh was noted. I appreciate the sense of camaraderie here. I also really appreciate humor in writing. Humor oftentimes results in at least a smile, if not a laugh. I enjoy both tremendously.
I agree about underweight elders seeming more fragile and being more prone to osteoporosis. There are always exceptions to the rule. I've known some elders that were quite thin but strong and hardy. But generally, underweight folks do break bones easier.
Thanks for your kudos y'all. I'm just the messenger. I promise. The message struck me personally. It seems that I'll never be able to be chubby. In my early 60s, I still haven't been able to gain weight. As a guy, and a sensitive one too, I remember all the taunts, sports rejections, even social rejections ever since I was a child. Every one of them. None of them escaped me; not even side glances. Even today, people remark. At least they are adult about it. I always believe that people should clean up their own back yard before commenting on their neighbors. But even so, I really think I can relate to those on the other side of the fence with weight problems.
At least my weight kept me out of Vietnam. The army rejected me due to being 5 pound underweight. This was when they were even desperate for more soldiers. I felt like I was once again a failure. Sit on the bench through this game please. Fine with me this time.
I'm still 135 lbs & 5'9". I should feel better when I reach my max of 140; but it seems to only hang around my waist. No good either; so I try to manage that. No help with what little exercise I do. In my early 20s, I even tried to put on muscle weight. Worthless.
My mother is the only one in her family to avoid obesity. She too was skinny. Her mother was as wide as she was tall. We felt sorry for the pall bearers. My whole family is mostly Dutch; so greasy stove top fried everything or deep dish oven cobblers. Yummy though. Deep peach cobblers, chicken dumplings, macaroni pies, etc. My grandmother, whom we lived with, was a great southern cook (South Carolina). Did not help me though.
Anyway, onward through life. I'm sticking to my health quest.
In my early 60s, I still haven't been able to gain weight.
I'm still 135 lbs & 5'9". I should feel better when I reach my max of 140; but it seems to only hang around my waist. No good either; so I try to manage that.
Anyway, onward through life. I'm sticking to my health quest.
Glad you're sticking to your health quest, that's all that really matters!
__________________ "Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
Get chubby in your 70s - it's OK ???
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