Maintaining body weight after age 60 linked to longevity for women: Study

A recent study found that women who maintained their body weight after 60 were likelier to reach ages 90, 95, or 100, signifying exceptional longevity.

According to a multi-institutional study sponsored by the University of California San Diego, reaching the ages of 90, 95, or 100, known as extraordinary longevity, was more likely for women who maintained their body weight after the age of 60. Older women who maintained a constant weight were 1.2 to 2 times more likely to live longer than those who lost 5 per cent or more of their weight. The study was published in the Journal of Gerontology.

Older women who maintained a constant weight were 1.2 to 2 times more likely to live longer than those who lost 5 per cent or more of their weight. (Pexels )

Researchers looked into the links between weight changes later in life and remarkable longevity in 54,437 women who took part in the Women's Health Initiative, a prospective study that looked into the causes of chronic diseases in postmenopausal women. During the follow-up period, 30,647 people, or 56% of the participants, lived to be 90 or older.

Women who lost at least 5 per cent of their body weight were less likely to live longer than those who maintained their weight. Women who accidentally lost weight, for example, were 51% less likely to live to the age of 90. Gaining 5 per cent or more weight over a steady weight, on the other hand, was not related to extraordinary longevity.

The findings revealed that general weight loss suggestions for older women may not help them live longer lives. Nonetheless, the authors warn that if moderate weight loss is indicated to improve one's c women should follow medical advice.

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