Overweight Older Adults Live Longer, Study Finds

Being a little overweight could help old people extend their lives, a new study has found.

Many people in the world are currently either overweight or obese. Healthcare providers insist that people maintain a healthy weight to reduce disease associated with lifestyle. However, research has shown that being a little heavy can be good for health.

A new study from The Ohio State University shows that older people needn't stay on a diet to lose those few extra pounds. But, they should avoid putting on too much weight.

Many studies are now focusing on "obesity paradox" where being overweight or obese can actually be a lifesaver, especially in people who have undergone a recent heart surgery. Previous research has also shown that people with high Body Mass Index have a higher chance of surviving after treatment for a heart disease.

 "Our other research suggests that the negative effect of obesity on health is greater for young people than it is for older people, so young people especially shouldn't think that being overweight is harmless," he said.

The current study was based on the Health and Retirement Study, which has data of Americans born between 1931 and 1941. Experts looked at the information available for 9,538 people aged between 51 and 61 at the start of the study. They specifically looked for changes in their BMI levels over the years.

The study showed that people who were overweight or had put on a little weight during old age were more likely to have a long, healthy life than those who had lost weight or had become obese.

Researchers aren't sure why overweight seniors have high chance of survival. "It is probably because the older population is more likely to get illnesses and disease, especially cancer, that cause dangerous weight loss," Zheng said.  "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."

The study is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.