In a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that included 5,039 older women who were followed for an average of 5.4 years, loss of 5% or more body weight was associated with a 66% higher risk of dying. Weight gain was not related to mortality.
Higher grip strength and better lower extremity functioning were associated with lower risks of death during follow-up, regardless of weight change.
“Our findings support increasing efforts to improve mobility and muscle strength in older women and less focus on long-term weight loss in this population,” said lead author Lisa Underland, DO, of Children’s Hospital at Montefiore.
Additional Information
Link to Study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.17626
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Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) is the go-to journal for clinical aging research. We provide a diverse, interprofessional community of healthcare professionals with the latest insights on geriatrics education, clinical practice, and public policy—all supporting the high-quality, person-centered care essential to our well-being as we age. Since the publication of our first edition in 1953, JAGS has remained one of the oldest and most impactful journals dedicated exclusively to gerontology and geriatrics.
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