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Journal of General Internal Medicine
Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine 1/2008

01-01-2008 | Original Article

Body Mass Index is Inversely Related to Mortality in Elderly Subjects

Authors: Avraham Weiss, MD, Yichayaou Beloosesky, MD, Mona Boaz, PhD, Alexandra Yalov, MSc, Ran Kornowski, MD, Ehud Grossman, MD

Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine | Issue 1/2008

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Abstract

Purpose

To study the long-term effect of being overweight on mortality in very elderly subjects.

Methods

The medical records of 470 inpatients (226 males) with a mean age of 81.5 ± 7 years and hospitalized in an acute geriatric ward between 1999 and 2000 were reviewed for this study. Body mass index (BMI) at admission day was subdivided into quartiles: <22, 22–25, 25.01–28, and ≥28 kg/m2. Patients were followed-up until August 31, 2004. Mortality data were taken from death certificates.

Results

During a mean follow-up of 3.46 ± 1.87 years (median 4.2 years [range 1.6 to 5.34 years]), 248 patients died. Those who died had lower baseline BMI than those who survived (24.1 ± 4.2 vs 26.3 ± 4.6 kg/m2; p < .0001). The age-adjusted mortality rate decreased from 24 to 9.6 per 100 patient-years from the highest to lowest BMI quartile (p < .001). BMI was associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality even after controlling for sex. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model identified that even after controlling for male gender, age, renal failure, and diabetes mellitus, which increased the risk of all-cause mortality, elevated BMI decreased the all-cause mortality risk.

Conclusions

In very elderly subjects, elevated BMI was associated with reduced mortality risk.
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Metadata
Title
Body Mass Index is Inversely Related to Mortality in Elderly Subjects
Authors
Avraham Weiss, MD
Yichayaou Beloosesky, MD
Mona Boaz, PhD
Alexandra Yalov, MSc
Ran Kornowski, MD
Ehud Grossman, MD
Publication date
01-01-2008
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Journal of General Internal Medicine / Issue 1/2008
Print ISSN: 0884-8734
Electronic ISSN: 1525-1497
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0429-4

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