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Obesity paradox and aging.
Ottavio Bosello1, Angiola Vanzo2
1Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. ottavio.bosello@univr.it.
Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD
|December 23, 2019
Summary
The obesity paradox in elderly individuals is often based on BMI, potentially underestimating health risks. A deeper look at body composition and fat distribution is crucial for accurate health assessments in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Obesity Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Increasing life expectancy and obesity prevalence highlight the "obesity paradox" in the elderly.
- The obesity paradox refers to observations where overweight or obese individuals exhibit lower mortality rates than normal-weight individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a narrative overview of research on the obesity paradox in aging populations.
- To critically examine studies investigating the relationship between obesity and health outcomes in the elderly.
Main Methods:
- Narrative overview of 72 papers published between 1999 and 2019.
- In-depth analysis of 29 selected documents.
Main Results:
- Most studies on the obesity paradox rely solely on Body Mass Index (BMI), neglecting crucial factors.
- Body composition, visceral adiposity, sarcopenic obesity, and cardio fitness are often underestimated.
- Central adiposity and loss of fat-free mass may be more significant risk indicators than BMI in older adults.
Conclusions:
- Inaccurate obesity assessments can lead to underestimation of risks, impacting clinical decisions for elderly patients.
- Understanding changes in body composition and fat distribution is vital for accurately assessing obesity-related health risks in the elderly.
Keywords:
AgingBody compositionBody mass indexFat distributionMorbidityMortalityObesityObesity paradoxSarcopeniaSarcopenic obesityWaist circumference (WC)Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)More Related Videos
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