According to the scientists in charge of this work, weight variations can be due to invisible health problems, but also to an unsuitable lifestyle.
After a certain age, pay attention to weight variations. According to an Australian study whose conclusions were published on Monday in the medical journal JAMA Network Openthe weight loss observed in patients aged 65 and over may be correlated with a higher risk of mortality.
Higher risk in men
To reach this conclusion, scientists from Monash University in Melbourne observed a cohort of 16,523 adults aged 70 and over in Australia for four years, who were weighed each year.
They did not suffer from cardiovascular disease, dementia, disabilities or chronic illness and had not recently undergone surgery. Hospitalization can indeed be synonymous with weight loss.
The results are final. Of those observed, 1256 died during the follow-up years. Among deceased men, loss of 5% to 10% of body weight and loss of more than 10% of body weight were associated with a 33% and 289% increase in mortality, respectively.
In women, these figures are less marked but still exist, with a 26% and 114% increase in mortality for a loss of 5% to 10% of body weight respectively, and a loss of more than 10% of body weight. body weight.
On the other hand, weight gain is not correlated with excess mortality, show these same works.
Different factors
Monira Hussain, clinical epidemiologist and main author of this study, explains to CNN that weight loss at this age can be synonymous with underlying health problems, which can affect appetite or metabolism.
“It’s often linked to reduced appetite influenced by inflammation and hormones,” she says.
Weight loss may also be caused by the lifestyle of the people studied. “Social isolation is one of the main factors contributing to weight loss in the elderly,” adds the scientist.
In conclusion, Monira Hussain advises the elderly to be vigilant to weight variations and to approach the medical profession if necessary. A warning also addressed to doctors, if they notice weight loss in their oldest patients.
