A study published Monday in the medical journal showed JAMA Network OpenThe association between weight loss in the elderly and early death.
The study included nearly 16,703 adults aged at least 70 in Australia and 2,411 adults in the United States under the age of 65, whose weight was studied annually between 2010 and 2014.
Doctors, according to the study, worry when the elderly and those suffering from chronic diseases lose weight, but what needs more research is the harm caused by weight loss to healthy ones.
The study indicates that losing even 5 percent of weight can increase the risk of death in the elderly. This risk includes all weights, which means that obese people may be at risk if they lose a lot of weight.
On the other hand, the study did not detect any relationship between weight gain and the risk of death among healthy elderly people. Thus, the report indicates that maintaining a stable weight may be better for the health of this age group.
The study showed that weight loss in the elderly is associated with an increased risk of all causes of death, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
network quotes CNN The main participant in the main study, Dr. Munira Hussain, a researcher at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said that the study excluded people with diseases such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, physical disabilities or chronic diseases.
But Hussain explained that the study distinguishes whether the subjects lost weight intentionally or unintentionally.
According to CNN, losing weight may be a risk factor because it alerts and indicates health problems that a person suffers from.
According to Hussein, weight loss may be a warning sign of diseases such as cancer and dementia, and is often associated with a decrease in appetite due to inflammation or hormonal fluctuations.
Social isolation is one of the main factors that contribute to low weight in the elderly, and the problem also includes other concerns such as financial constraints, pain and discomfort.