Calories that count

Older people unintentionally losing weight are particularly at risk of becoming malnourished. Here are some tips for maintaining the kilos.

- Jennifer Bowden

Question:

I've read that it's advisable to regularly put on a little weight as we move into older age. I've been about 54-55kg for many years but have slipped to 53kg this year. Increasing the size of all my meals has made no difference. I'm 67, fit and active, with no health concerns, and pescatarian (with low fat, sugar and salt).

Answer:

Not all weight loss is desirable or intentional - a fact often overlooked in a society that praises the pursuit of thinness. Indeed, weight loss can be the result of a personal crisis or illness. Among those aged over 60, unintentional weight loss can be an early sign of health issues such as cancer, according to a study in the British Journal of General Practice.

Having said that, a study published last year in the journal Gerontology assessed the weight status of more than 2000 older adults (65 years and over) over a 17-year period to determine what association existed between weight loss, weight status and subsequent mortality risk. It found abdominal obesity was strongly associated with increased mortality risk in older adults living in their own homes (rather than rest or nursing homes). However, being overweight - but not obese - appeared to be protective against mortality for this age group.

Importantly, a modest self-reported weight loss was not associated with increased mortality. Only when older men reported a recent weight loss of more than 3kg was there a statistically significant link to increased risk of death.