When you are young, you should control your weight properly, otherwise as you get older, you will find various chronic diseases.However, as we age, we will find that controlling weight is actually a very difficult task
When you are young, you should control your weight properly, otherwise as you get older, you will find various chronic diseases.
However, as we age, we will find that controlling weight is actually a very difficult task. This is because as we age, osteoporosis, joint stiffness, and various chronic diseases, heart and lung function decline, all of which make it impossible for elderly people to exercise too much.
Many elderly people are particularly distressed because of this. As they get older, they cannot exercise enough and their weight is not within the standard range. What should we do?
In fact, different age groups have different requirements for weight. For young people, including middle-aged people, it is better to control the weight within the standard range, because overweight brings great harm. Many young people suffer from hypertension and diabetes at a young age. Doctors will recommend weight control. Many chronic diseases will naturally stabilize after weight loss.
Take diabetes as an example. Many young obese patients suffer from diabetes because obesity leads to insulin resistance. Note that insulin resistance can also be understood as insulin insensitivity, not insulin secretion. As long as you control your weight, insulin becomes sensitive, and blood sugar will gradually return to normal.
Let's take a look at a study on how much weight elderly people should maintain.
A study conducted by Ohio State University was published in the Annals of Epidemiology, which began in 1948 and included data from 4576 participants. The study lasted for 73 years. After adjusting for differences in gender, medical history, and lifestyle habits, researchers found that subjects who maintained a normal weight in their youth and were slightly overweight in their old age had lower mortality rates.
That is to say, from youth to old age, the requirements for weight control are not constant. When young, the standards are very strict, and when old, it is necessary to relax slightly. This is the best way to relax.
Many people still have questions, why do they gain weight when they get older?
Firstly, slightly overweight elderly people have better metabolism than thin elderly people
Physiological metabolism requires a certain amount of fat reserves to complete. As age increases, the metabolic rate of elderly people gradually decreases. If there is no fat at all, people are particularly thin. Think about it, is the metabolic rate lower? For elderly people, having a low metabolic rate is not a good thing, as it can easily trigger diseases. Therefore, having a slightly overweight body and having more fat reserves can actually lead to better metabolism and lower the incidence of metabolic diseases.
Secondly, slightly overweight elderly people have better immunity than thin elderly people
For elderly people, being slightly overweight and having appropriate fat reserves is beneficial for resisting severe cold and diseases, and their immune system will be better.
On the contrary, for a very thin elderly person, don't expect their immune system to be too good.
In fact, many elderly people are particularly afraid of losing weight, as sudden weight loss often indicates serious illnesses such as cancer.
Thirdly, slightly obese elderly people have better bone mass than thin elderly people
As people age, many elderly people suffer from osteoporosis, which can lead to severe fractures even with a single cough.
The reason for osteoporosis is due to a decrease in bone density.
Appropriate fat reserves can help elderly people slow down the decline in bone density, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
However, if the elderly are a little fatter, it definitely does not mean that they are very fat. Many elderly people think that it is better to be fat, so they eat desperately and do not exercise. As a result, they are getting fatter and fatter, which is also undesirable. If they are too fat, they will also be at risk, including the incidence rate of cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and diabetes will increase.
Neither too fat nor too thin, what is the best range for weight?
The best indicator for measuring weight is BMI, which is weight (kg)/height (m squared). BMI< 18.5 indicates a lean body, a BMI between 18.5-24 is considered standard, and a BMI> 24 is overweight, and a BMI greater than 28 indicates obesity.
For people under the age of 60, it is best to control their BMI between 18.5-24. For people aged 60 or older, their BMI can be relaxed to within 24-28.
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