Study of 6,905 Seniors Finds Overweight Lowers Death Risk as Belly Fat Raises It
Updated
Updated · studyfinds.com · Aug 26
Study of 6,905 Seniors Finds Overweight Lowers Death Risk as Belly Fat Raises It
3 articles · Updated · studyfinds.com · Aug 26
Summary
Tracking 6,905 U.S. adults aged 65+ from 2011 to 2024, researchers found overweight seniors had lower all-cause mortality than normal-weight peers, while underweight seniors faced sharply higher death risk.
BMI alone missed a key danger: larger waist size was linked to higher mortality in both men and women, including older adults whose overall weight still fell in the normal range.
Among men, overweight was tied to a 46% lower death risk and mild to moderate obesity to a 51% lower risk, while a high waist measurement raised mortality risk by 24%.
The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society study argues doctors should pair BMI with waist circumference in older patients, though the observational design cannot prove cause and may reflect illness-related weight loss or survivorship bias.