Loss of Weight in Obese Older Adults: A Biomarker of Impending Expansion of Multimorbidity?

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To determine whether weight loss in older adults may be a marker of impending burden of multimorbidity regardless of initial weight, testing the hypotheses that obesity but not overweight in elderly adults is associated with greater number of diseases than normal weight and that obese older adults who lose weight over time have the greatest burden of multimorbidity.

Design

Longitudinal cohort study (Invecchiare in Chianti Study).

Setting

Community.

Participants

Individuals aged 60 and older at baseline followed for an average of 4 years (N = 1,025).

Measurements

Multimorbidity was measured as number of diagnosed diseases. Baseline body mass index (BMI) was categorized as normal weight (<25.0 kg/m(2)), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m(2)), and obese

SUBMITTER: Fabbri E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5389375 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature