A Korean study collected data based on interviews with people who had an average age of Scientists discovered that health-related quality of life factors, such as social functioning, emotional health, and pain, are not made worse by a higher BMI in older adults. Additional research suggests that older adults who do not have a low BMI enjoy more independence.
In fact, a study published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics found that older adults with BMIs over 30 did not experience a decline in activities of daily living. While this data is interesting, it does not mean you should avoid shedding pounds if you are overweight. We know that a number of chronic long-term health conditions are made worse when you are overweight. These health issues include:. But of equal concern is how low body weight negatively affects an aging body and the management of chronic illnesses.
There are no official recommendations on what the ideal weight range or BMI should be for people over Experts recommend that every effort should be made to ensure older adults don't lose weight as a result of illness or poor nutrition. It can be difficult to avoid weight loss if you have chronic disorders that are associated with poor nutrition.
Many conditions, such as cancer , gastrointestinal disease , and neurological disease, can cause problems that prevent older adults from getting enough nutrition.
This may lead to a low BMI, often for the first time in their lives. Being underweight increases the risk of developing serious health problems. And it decreases your chances of recovering from illnesses. For example, underweight stroke survivors have worse outcomes than stroke survivors who are overweight or average weight. Scientific data doesn't tell us what the ideal weight patterns are for a long life.
But we do know from studying people who live to that being a healthy weight seems to be an important part of living a long life. When trying to stay healthy, you should work with your doctor to set the right goal for you. Despite what charts and calculators may say, the target BMI is not the same for everyone. You may need to factor in additional considerations. If you have diabetes, for example, your doctor may recommend that you lose weight.
But your doctor may ask you to try to eat more nutritious food if you have a condition such as anemia. As you get older, some situations make it more challenging to reach your target BMI. These factors include:. As you face these challenges, you may need the help of a nutritionist. A nutritionist can guide you as you set your calorie goals. Nutritionists can also help you decide whether you need to take vitamin and mineral supplements.
What is just as important is to recognize when you're losing weight and to take steps to correct it before it goes too far. When you are an older adult, extreme weight loss doesn't have to happen. If you are losing too many pounds, it may simply mean you are not achieving the ideal dietary goals for your age.
It may also mean you have a health concern that your doctor needs to investigate. It's important to take early action if you are underweight. Your BMI is a sign of your overall health. There are several other methods you can use to hone in on how much you should weigh. Then breathe out and use a measuring tape to measure the inches around your natural waist, which is the smallest part above your belly button.
This number is your waist circumference. Then take your tape and measure around the largest part of your hips and buttocks. This number is your hip circumference. Divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference to get your WHR. How should I manage my weight? You can also try these methods: Eat a diet of healthy, whole foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean protein, whole grains, and nuts are good choices.
Get regular exercise. Each week, aim to get minutes of a moderate physical activity, like walking, or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity, like running. Keep a food diary to track calories. Burning more calories than you take in is the key to weight loss. You may notice that you snack mindlessly while watching TV or eat portions that are too large while out at restaurants.
A diary will help you notice these patterns. Get support from friends, family, and other sources. Overeaters Anonymous is a support group for people with eating disorders such as compulsive overeating, anorexia , food addiction , bulimia , and more. The takeaway. Written by Ashley Marcin on December 7, Read this next.
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Wanna ditch the scale? Quick tips to be the healthiest you. Read this next. Weigh to Go! The Best Bathroom Scales of See what bathroom scales our team has hand-picked as the most accurate and precise ones that give you information you need. These realities can skew your BMI number and make it less accurate for predicting exact body fat levels. The same goes for women, who tend to carry more body fat, versus men, who tend to have more muscle mass.
So, a man and woman with the same height and weight will get the same BMI number but may not have the same body fat-to-muscle ratio. Females have more fat mass than males. More than strictly how much you weigh, body composition and where you store fat can have great impact on your overall health.
People who store more body fat around their waist have an increased risk of health problems compared to people who store body fat around their hips. Ideally, your waist should have a smaller circumference than your hips. The greater your WHR is, the higher the risk for related health issues. A WHR ratio above 0. Once a person reaches this point, they are considered to have a substantially increased risk for associated medical problems.
A study of more than 15, adults found that people with a normal BMI but a high WHR were still more likely to die early. This was especially true for men. The results mean that a man who has a normal BMI can have excess weight around their waist that drastically increases their risk of health problems.
The study only found correlation between WHR ratios and early death. A high WHR ratio might suggest urgent need for diet and lifestyle improvement. That said, the WHR ratio is not a good tool for everyone, including children, pregnant women, and people who are shorter than average. If your waist measurement is more than half of your height, you may be at increased risk of obesity-related illness such as cardiovascular problems and early death.
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