Overweight associated with longevity in an 80-year-old community-based population
Document Actions
The dates and causes of all deaths in 80-year-old subjects (n=697) were followed-up for 4 years in order to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In overweight subjects (BMI ≥25.0), the relative hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality were lower than in underweight (BMI <18.5) and normal-weight subjects (BMI 18.5-24.9). Mortality due to CVD was 4.6 times as high in underweight subjects as in normal-weight subjects, and mortality due to cancer was 88% lower in the overweight group compared to the underweight group. Mortality due to pneumonia was similar in the different groups. The observed differences were independent of recent weight reduction. Thus overweight status (BMI ≥25.0) was associated with longevity due to lower mortality from CVD in very elderly subjects, whereas underweight was associated with short life due to higher mortality from cancer.
Abstract
