A stable weight later in life may be the key to living past 100, research shows
- Women who maintained their weight were up to twice as likely to live to be 90+
Many women would like to lose a few pounds, but maintaining a stable weight later in life could increase their chances of reaching 100.
In a study of more than 50,000 women over age 60, those who kept their weight more or less stable for three years were compared to those who lost at least 5 percent.
The women who lost weight were 38 percent less likely to reach their 100th birthday.
They were 33 percent less likely to live to age 90, and 35 percent less likely to live to age 95.
This was especially the case for those who said they lost the pounds unintentionally; whose weight loss could be a sign of ill health, stress or weakness.
The study found that women who gain more than 5 percent of their body weight have no greater or lesser chance of reaching age 90 or older. This may be because weight gain in middle age or younger age is likely to lower life expectancy (file photo)
Researchers say individuals who have been advised to lose weight by their doctor for health reasons should do so, especially if they are obese.
But women over 60 who are struggling to shed the pounds may seek some reassurance in their seemingly greater chance of reaching 90 or getting a card from the King for turning 100.
The study found that women who gained more than 5 percent of their body weight had no greater or lesser chance of reaching age 90 or older.
This may be because gaining weight in middle age or at a younger age is more likely to reduce life expectancy.
Dr. Aladdin Shadyab, author of the study from the University of California San Diego, said: ‘Our findings support stable weight as a longevity goal in older women.
If older women notice that they are losing weight when they are not trying, this could be a warning sign of poor health and a predictor of a shorter lifespan.’
Researchers looked at 54,437 women, ages 61 to 81, when they volunteered for a major U.S. health study. Just over half survived to the age of 90, and about 9 percent of those who participated in the study long enough to live to be 100 lived to that age.
The study found that women who did not gain or lose more than 5 percent of their weight over three years were twice as likely to live to age 90 and older.
The study found that women who gain more than 5 percent of their body weight are no more or less likely to reach the age of 90 or older (file photo)
If you lose more than 5 percent of your body weight as a woman over 60, if this happens unintentionally, it has the most impact on life expectancy, the study found.
Of those who lost weight unintentionally, about a third said it was due to illness, while nearly 29 percent had a loss of appetite and 23 percent blamed stress.
These unintentional weight-lossers were 51 percent less likely to reach 90, while those who intentionally lost weight, usually through a change in diet or exercise, were only 17 percent less likely.
Although women who unexpectedly lose weight later in life are advised to see a doctor, this is common and is not necessarily something to worry about.
The findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, support evidence that older men who lose weight are more likely to die prematurely.