Weight loss for older adults may be life-threatening

Losing weight may not always be cause for celebration, in some cases it could be cause for concern — in older adults, for instance.

You may already be well aware of when some seniors begin to “shrink.” They can lose inches off of their height and their weight can drop over time. According to a study published recently in JAMA Network Open, weight loss in older adults may be associated with life-threatening conditions and even death. 

A new study has found a link between weight loss in senior citizens and underlying life-threatening conditions. (Photo credit: Getty/Ariel Skelley)

The study analyzed the weight of roughly 20,000 older adults 65 years of age or older in both Australia (around 17,000 adults) and the United States (more than 2,000). Participants were weighed during their annual checkups between 2010 and 2014. 

“Our study found that even a 5% weight loss increases mortality risk, particularly in older men,” lead study author Monira Hussain, a clinical epidemiologist and senior research fellow in public health and preventative medicine at Monash University in Melbourne, told CNN. 

She added that weight loss could be cause for concern, but weight gain wasn’t. The risk of life-threatening conditions following weight loss was reportedly observed across starting weights, including participants who were considered obese at the beginning of the study. Hussain noted that the study excluded people with preexisting conditions such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, physical disabilities, or chronic illness. Folks with recent hospitalizations were also excluded. 

The study also does not account for who lost weight intentionally or unintentionally, thus not offering any insight into what role those factors played. What the study makes clear, however, is how weight loss can be a sign of underlying issues in older adults. 

Hussain said weight loss could be a warning sign for conditions like cancer and dementia, and it is “often linked to reduced appetite influenced by inflammation and hormones.”

According to Perri Halperin, the clinical nutrition director of New York City’s Mount Sinai Health System, weight loss in seniors could also be a sign of troublesome lifestyle changes. “A major contributing factor to weight loss in older adults is social isolation,” she told CNN. “Other concerns include financial constraints and pain and discomfort.”

She emphasized that the study found a correlation between weight loss and death, not that weight loss was the cause of death. Importantly, she noted that gaining weight isn’t necessarily a life-saving move either.

All in all, Halperin said key takeaways are that older adults should monitor their weight and discuss any changes with their doctor, while physicians who detect any changes in the weight of their patients should conduct further testing.

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