Men often gain weight until about age 55, and then begin to lose weight later in life. This may be related to a drop in the male sex hormone testosterone. Women usually gain weight until age 65, and then begin to lose weight.
As you get older, you start to lose lean body mass like muscle and bone density. As early as age 30, our lean body mass starts to drop by a little over half a pound each year. You might not notice a change when you step on the scale, because the lean weight you lost is often replaced by fat.
“Obesity incidence starts increasing in one's twenties and peaks at 40 to 59, and then decreases slightly after age 60,” says Craig Primack, MD, an obesity medicine physician at the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Arizona.
As you get older, you may start to lose weight, either through illness or loss of appetite. Maintaining a healthy body weight is important, and there are steps you can take to gain weight healthily.
Unintentional weight loss in persons older than 65 years is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The most common etiologies are malignancy, nonmalignant gastrointestinal disease, and psychiatric conditions.
As we age, people usually experience muscle atrophy, loss of bone density, and a reduction in liver and kidney cells. Additionally, the loss of tissue reduces the amount of water in the body. All of this can result in weight loss that may be noticeable, but not necessarily cause for alarm.
Conversely, losing weight in your 30s and 40s is more difficult than when you're a young adult. (Men and women tend to put on little or no weight after age 40 and lose weight in their 70s, according to HHS.)
Weight loss in older adults can sometimes signal an underlying health issue. It's important to have unexplained weight loss evaluated to investigate the cause and make sure there isn't a bigger problem that needs attention.
Losing weight after turning 70 is a lot like losing weight after turning 30 or 40 or 50: It's often way harder than you think it is going to be. But it is also very doable, and if your health depends on it, it's very worth it.
But those who survive to age 80, such risk factors start to go down. And so, too, may the number you're seeing on the scale. While people naturally tend to gain weight up until age 75 or 80, over age 80 they tend to decrease in weight, Nicklas explains.
Now, even when social issues and medical problems are addressed, it's often necessary to provide some extra nutritional support to those older adults who have been losing weight. This usually means providing extra protein and extra calories. Fat is dense in calories, so this can be a good way to increase energy intake.
Your body weight can regularly fluctuate. But the persistent, unintentional loss of more than 5 per cent of your weight over 6 to 12 months is usually a cause for concern. Losing this much weight can be a sign of malnutrition. This is when a person's diet doesn't contain the right amount of nutrients.
You should consult your physician if you have lost more than 5 percent of body weight or 10 pounds without trying in a period of 6 to 12 months. This is especially important if you have other symptoms, too.
But many health care providers agree that a medical evaluation is called for if you lose more than 5% of your weight in 6 to 12 months, especially if you're an older adult. For example, a 5% weight loss in someone who is 160 pounds (72 kilograms) is 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms).
If you're losing weight without trying and you're concerned about it, consult your health care provider. As a rule of thumb, losing more than 5% of your weight over 6 to 12 months may indicate a problem.
UNINTENTIONAL WEIGHT LOSS, or the involuntary decline in total body weight over time, is common among elderly people who live at home. Weight loss in elderly people can have a deleterious effect on the ability to function and on quality of life and is associated with an increase in mortality over a 12-month period.
Normal weight at 118 to 159 pounds (BMI = 18.5-24.9) Overweight at 160 to 191 pounds (BMI = 25-29.9) Obese at 192 pounds or more (BMI = 30+)
Doctors recommend most adults keep their BMI between 18 and 24.9. Adults with a BMI over 25 are considered obese. On the other hand, older adults do better if they have a BMI between 25 and 27. Research shows that adults over 65 who are underweight experience more health issues and shorter life expectancy.
As you age, your muscle mass decreases and your fat mass increases. Fat is less metabolically active than muscle—you don't need as many calories to maintain fat as you do to maintain muscle. Hormonal changes can also lead to weight gain.
No matter what your age, you can improve your fitness.
If it's been a long time since you've exercised and you're feeling less than fit, you might think that it's too late to make a change. But you're wrong. You can improve your fitness at any age.