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.
The researchers concluded that waist circumference was statistically a better predictor of mortality risk in older adults than body weight or body mass index (BMI). Specifically, men with a waist circumference greater than 102cm and women with a waist circumference greater than 88cm were found to have an increased mortality risk.
In your case, a minimal weight loss of 1kg is unlikely to have affected your long-term health. However, it is worth considering how you can prevent unintentional weight loss from continuing. In the first instance, we don’t know whether the loss was muscle or body fat, or a combination of both. So, you might want to consider whether you have become less physically active during the past year, for instance.
It is important that older adults maintain regular moderate-intensity physical activity for about 30 minutes, five days a week. And ideally, three sessions of flexibility and balance activities, along with two stints of muscle-strengthening activities per week, as well. In this way, you are more likely to maintain your muscle mass, along with your flexibility, balance and strength for all important everyday activities, in older age.
From the food perspective, if the amount eaten doesn’t meet energy needs, then unintentional weight loss can occur. And if that’s the case, then it’s also possible that nutrient needs are not being met, either.
Older adults are particularly at risk of developing malnutrition; this can increase their hospital stays, lengthen wound-healing time, and reduce their ability to complete day-to-day tasks after a hospital stay.
So, while the simple answer to gaining weight, and staving off malnutrition, is to eat greater quantities of nutritious foods, older adults need to take a gentle approach to eating more – honouring their happiness as well as their health.
Here are some tips:
- Eat more frequently – if you get full quickly, opt for five to six smaller meals each day, rather than two or three large meals.
- Choose nutrient-rich foods – wholegrain breads, pasta, cereals, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds.
- Be smart with your drinks – fluids can blunt your appetite, so rather than drinking before a meal, sip a drink with your food, or 30 minutes after you eat.
- Try smoothies and shakes – they’re a great way to consume more energy and nutrients, without feeling full. Try milk, yoghurt, fresh or frozen fruit, nuts or ground flaxseed.
- Make every mouthful count – add high-energy spreads like nut butters and avocado to your sandwiches, toast and muffins. Snack on nuts, dried fruit, cheese and crackers.
- Find foods with the right texture – use a food processor to grind up nuts and other foods, or choose a nut butter; try cooking meat all day in a slow-cooker for a softer meal.
- Add a dollop on top – boost the energy content of meals by topping casseroles with grated cheese, potatoes with sour cream, adding milk powder or cheese to soups, and pouring a tablespoon or two of olive oil onto your plated meal.
- Enjoy your sweets – ice cream, cupcakes, biscuits or cheesecake. Choose foods you enjoy the taste of.
- Get moving – keeping active stimulates your appetite, so find ways to move more. Strength training especially is great.
- Get social – join lunch clubs, share a weekly meal with a neighbour or friend, accept offers of shared meals with your extended family. There’s research to show that we eat more with company.
