Obese over 60 can lose weight too

Team L&M

If you thought lifestyle changes worked well only with the youth, you perhaps got it wrong. A recent study has found that obese patients over 60 years can lose the same amount of weight as younger people too. Published in Clinical Endocrinology, the findings aim to correct the prevailing societal misconceptions about the effectiveness of weight loss programmes in older people. These also dispelled myths about potential benefits of the older people wanting to reduce weight.

A total of 242 patients, who had attended the WISDEM-based obesity service between 2005 and 2016 and compared two groups (those under 60 and ones between 60 and 78 years) for the weight loss that they achieved during their time within the service, were selected for this study.

When compared, the two groups were equivalent statistically, with those aged 60 years and over on average reducing their body weight by 7.3 per cent compared with a bodyweight reduction of 6.9 per cent in those aged under 60 years. Both groups spent a similar amount of time within the obesity service, on average 33.6 months for those 60 years and over, and 41.5 months for those younger than 60 years.