Losing weight in middle or late adulthood may increase risk of premature death

October 18, 2019  09:43

The connection between weight gain and mortality decreases with age, and losing weight in middle or late adulthood can increase the risk of premature death, especially when it comes to heart disease, CNN reported referring to a data from a recent study.

We believe that losing weight is better at a younger age to reduce the risk of premature death at a later age, said the study author.

The study found that people who were obese throughout their entire adult lives had the highest risk of premature death. Weight gain from the mid-20s to middle age was also associated with an increased risk of mortality compared to people who remained at normal weight throughout their lives. However, middle-aged and older weight loss was largely associated with an increased risk of mortality, the study said.

Obesity is a major public health problem in the US and around the world. In the US, 38% of women and 36% of men are obese, according to 2016 data.

According to the author, the study does not include analysis of the causes of weight loss at a later age. One factor that could play a role was whether weight loss was intentional or not.

You should try not to gain weight when you are young, but in old age, focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the author added.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter


 
  • Video
 
 
  • Event calendar
 
 
  • Archive