Overweight adults can afford a few extra pounds - but there's a catch

A new study suggests that some older adults might not need to lose weight in order to live longer.

The catch, however, is that they can't pack on any extra pounds.

A nationwide survey found that slightly overweight people in their 50s who kept their weight relatively stable had the best chances of survival over the next 16 years. The surprising part? These individuals had better survival rates than even normal-weight individuals who gained a few pounds.

Changes in weight are key

Hui Zheng, lead author of the study and assistant professor of sociology at Ohio State University, said the results indicate that fluctuations in weight may be more important indicators of health than starting weight at a given age.

"You can learn more about older people's mortality risk by looking at how their weight is changing than you can by just looking at how much they weigh at any one time," Zheng said.


Not surprisingly, people in the survey who were very obese in their 50s and continued to gain weight were the most likely to die early. In fact, 7.2 percent of deaths after the age of 51 could be attributed to weight gain among obese people in the study.

Small gain is OK

Participants in the survey were classified into six groups, based on their body mass index (BMI) at the beginning of the study and how it changed over 16 years.

Slightly overweight people - with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 - who maintained a steady weight had the highest survival rates, followed by people who moved from overweight to obese (BMI of 30 to 34.9).

"This suggests that among overweight people at age 51, small weight gains do not significantly lower the probability of survival," Zheng said.


How is being overweight a protective factor? Zheng said that, in the older population, diseases like cancer are more likely, which can cause dangerous weight loss.

"In that case, a small amount of extra weight may provide protection against nutritional and energy deficiencies, metabolic stresses, the development of wasting and frailty, and loss of muscle and bone density caused by chronic diseases."

Younger people, however, aren't protected by extra pounds, Zheng noted. And added weight usually means higher chances of disease, regardless of age.

"Continuing to put on weight can lower your life expectancy," he concluded.

Zheng's study is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Source: Ohio State University


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...