Maintaining a Stable Weight Increases Longevity

Reaching the age of 90, 95 or 100, known as exceptional longevity, was more likely for women who maintained their body weight after age 60, according to a multi-institutional study led by University of California San Diego.

Researchers investigated the associations of weight changes later in life with exceptional longevity among 54,437 women who enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative. Throughout the follow up period, 30,647, or 56 percent of the participants, survived to the age of 90 or beyond.

Women who lost at least 5 percent weight were less likely to achieve longevity compared to those who achieved stable weight. For example, women who unintentionally lost weight were 51 percent less likely to survive to the age of 90. However, gaining 5 percent or more weight, compared to stable weight, was not associated with exceptional longevity.

“It is very common for older women in the United States to experience being overweight or obesity with a body mass index range of 25 to 35. Our findings support stable weight as a goal for longevity in older women,” said first author Aladdin H. Shadyab, Ph.D., M.P.H.

“If aging women find themselves losing weight when they are not trying to lose weight, this could be a warning sign of ill health and a predictor of decreased longevity.”

The findings suggest that general recommendations for weight loss in older women may not help them live longer. Nevertheless, the authors caution that women should heed medical advice if moderate weight loss is recommended to improve their health or quality of life.

Sources:

Aladdin H Shadyab, JoAnn E Manson, Matthew A Allison, Deepika Laddu, Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, Linda Van Horn, Robert A Wild, Hailey R Banack, Fred K Tabung, Bernhard Haring, Yangbo Sun, Erin S LeBlanc, Jean Wactawski-Wende, Meryl S LeBoff, Michelle J Naughton, Juhua Luo, Peter F Schnatz, Ginny Natale, Robert J Ostfeld, Andrea Z LaCroix. Association of Later-Life Weight Changes With Survival to Ages 90, 95, and 100: The Women’s Health Initiative. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 2023; DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glad177

University of California – San Diego. “Maintaining stable weight increases longevity among older women.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 August 2023. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230829130001.htm>.

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