Losing weight later in life may RAISE risk of an early death, study warns 

It may sound counterintuitive — but losing weight in old age may increase your risk of early death, a study suggests.

Being overweight is associated with numerous health problems, and doctors say you have the best chance of a healthy life if you maintain a healthy weight.

But a study by researchers at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, found that those who lost weight over age 65 were a third more likely to die in how many years.

To their surprise, no link was found between weight gain and a higher risk of premature death.

The researchers believe that it is not the weight loss itself, but the cause of the weight loss.

For example, colds, diabetes, and heart, lung, kidney, or liver disease cause people to lose their appetite, as do heavy prescription drugs.

Researchers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia followed nearly 17,000 adults aged 65 and over.

The study included 16,703 Australian participants aged 70 and over and 2,411 US participants aged 65 and over with no history of cardiovascular disease, dementia, disability or chronic illness.

People who were recently hospitalized were also excluded because being inpatient is often followed by weight loss due to illness.

Participants’ body weight and waist circumference were measured at their annual checkups between 2010 and 2014.

Among the men, those who lost more than 10 percent of their body weight were almost 290 percent more likely to die early than men with a stable weight.

Women who lost more than 10 percent of their body weight had a 114 percent higher death rate.

Compared with men of constant weight, those who lost five to 10 percent of their body weight had a 33 percent higher risk of early death from all causes.

Women who lost the same weight were 26 percent more likely to die early.

The link was found between starting weights, meaning that even those who were obese had a higher risk of early death if they lost more than five percent of their body weight.

Weight loss was also associated with early death from cancer.

More than 10 percent weight loss in men suggested they were 2.5 times more likely to die from cancer.

In women, more than 10 percent weight loss indicated that the participants were 1.78 times more likely to die from cancer.

However, weight gain was not associated with an increased risk of early death.

However, the participants were not asked about fluctuations in activity level and diet over the years.

Losing weight in old age can lead to earlier death because it can indicate underlying problems such as cancer and dementia.

Lead study author Dr. Monira Hussain, a clinical epidemiologist and senior research fellow in public health and preventive medicine at Monash University, told CNN: ‘Our study showed that even a 5 percent weight loss increases the risk of mortality, especially in older men.’

She added that weight loss is “often associated with reduced appetite under the influence of inflammation and hormones.”

Mobility problems and medication side effects can affect a person’s weight, as can social isolation, financial hardship and pain.

Perri Halperin, the Mount Sinai Health System’s director of clinical nutrition, who was not part of the study, said it was vital to remember that the study’s findings do not mean that the weight loss caused a person’s death.

The study is published in JAMA network opened.