Weight Loss Might Increase Mortality Rate Among Older People!

Losing weight and having zero sizes is the trend that we see now. But how many of these trends are valid? And how many of these apply to all age groups? Recent research has the answer and it says older people need to be a bit cautious about weight loss.

It seems weight loss doesn’t seem as beneficial as it claims. Not at least for older people. A recent study found that weight loss can be associated with a higher risk of death among older ones. But at the same time, weight gain in older people is not connected with mortality. Strange, right?

Slide into the news story to find out the details regarding the latest research that associates weight loss with a risk of mortality among older people.

Weight Loss And Early Death In Aged People

A recent study published in the JAMA Network Open explained that weight loss can be associated with early death in older adults. The study was conducted among around 17,000 adults from Australia who were aged at least 70 years old and nearly 2,000 adults from the United States who were of at least 65 years old.

The annual weight of these participants was collected between the years 2010 to 2014. According to the findings, even a 5% weight loss was considered to increase the chances of early death in older people.

Weight Loss And Early Death In Aged People

The research was conducted under Dr. Monira Hussain, a clinical epidemiologist at Monash University, Australia.

One of the limitations posed by this study was that no proper distinction between intentional and unintentional weight loss was recorded. According to these researchers, they didn’t ask any questions regarding the activity level and diet status of the participants.

So proper information regarding the reason behind weight loss was not considered. The research also excluded people who had been diagnosed with conditions such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, or any other chronic medical conditions.

Even though there are limitations to this study, the researchers found that unintentional weight loss among older adults can cause serious health issues. The mortality risk is a byproduct of some underlying conditions caused by weight loss.

According to the researchers, weight loss often can be a warning sign for cancer and dementia. When people are affected by these conditions, they will be subjected to inflammation which then causes a lack of hunger. There are many reasons behind weight loss among older people.

Along with underlying health conditions, metabolism, eating patterns, and medications, another factor that affects weight loss among older people can be social isolation.

But the researchers warn that the current study doesn’t mean all weight loss cases indicate mortality. Likewise, they also warn that the study doesn’t indicate gaining weight is healthy. Any kind of extrapolation regarding the study should be avoided.

Experts suggest older people should have routine checkups regarding their weight. And if there is a considerable increase or decrease in weight, contact the doctor immediately. Along with this, experts also recommend that there is a more important role for the medical community.

Professionals like doctors and healthcare providers need to know about weight changes among older adults and this should be taken into serious consideration.

Also read: Midriff Bulge Is Associated With Old-Age Physical Frailty