BACKGROUND

Obesity is associated with increased mortality as a significant risk factor for chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Several people believe that weight gain is harmful, and weight loss helps maintain health. However, some studies have shown that weight loss, particularly among older adults, is more likely to increase the risk of mortality than weight gain.

METHODS

We used data for the cohort of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, which is a nationwide stratified multi-stage sample of adults aged 45 years. The all-cause mortality risk was assessed using the survival status and the number of months of survival calculated from 2006 (baseline year) to 2016. Cox proportional hazard regression were used to study the causal link between weight change and all-cause mortality risk.

RESULTS

The results showed interactive associations between weight loss and mortality among middle-aged and older adults. The hazard ratio was 1.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.40) for the participants aged 45-65 years with weight losses greater than 5 kg and 1.56 (95% CI, 1.29-1.89) for those older than 65 years with weight losses greater than 5 kg. The results for the group with weight gain above 5 kg were not significant. Middle-aged and older men showed an increase in all-cause mortality associated with weight loss of more than 5 kg, but only the older women showed significant results.

CONCLUSION

This large-scale cohort study in Korea showed a relationship between weight loss and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older individuals.