Obesity or excess fat around your waist in mid-life, can have a negative effect on old age: you double your risk of becoming frail.
The findings of Phd student Shreeshti Uchai (to the right) and professor Anette Hjartåker at the Department of Nutrition have caused a stir in a large number of countries. (Photo: Cecilie B. Høstmark, UiO)
Many are under the impression that frailty in old age is only the result of low body weight. But previous research has indicated that a high body mass index (BMI) also plays a role. BMI is the ratio between weight and height and indicates whether a person is overweight or obese.
Scientists at the Department of Nutrition at the University of Oslo have studied this in detail by looking at both BMI and waist measurements taken over longer period. They began studying the participants aged 45 years and older at the start of the study.
Frailty criteria
- Unintentional weight loss
- Exhaustion
- Low grip strength
- Slow walking speed
- Low level of physical activity
Both general obesity and a high waist circumference was associated with a three times higher risk of frailty
"Those who were obese when middle-aged had a 2.5 times higher probability of pre-frailty or frailty 21 years later, compared with those of normal weight", explains research fellow Shreeshti Uchai at the Department of Nutrition.
Uchai is the first author of the study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Open.
She says that those who had a moderately high or high waist circumference at the start of the study period were twice as likely to become pre-frail or frail, while those who were both obese and had a high waist circumference ran a three times higher odds.
Why does obesity lead to frailty in old age?
"One reason may be that when you have more body fat, especially abdominal fat, this contributes to chronic inflammation that is damaging to the body. In addition, it can lead to lipid infiltration in the muscle fibres, which affects the muscle strength and how well the muscles work", explains the research fellow.
Uchai therefore advises middle-aged people to keep an eye on both their weight and their waist measurement.
International media coverage of the study
These findings have caused a stir in a large number of countries. Media such as Fox News, The Independent and the Daily Mail have written about the study.
The researchers used data from 4500 participants who took part in the Tromsø survey of the study. The participants were followed for over 21 years.
