Many factors can affect weight, including genes, age, gender, lifestyle, family habits, culture, sleep, and even where you live and work. Some of these factors can make it difficult to maintain or achieve a healthy weight. Read on to find out why your weight changes as you age, why it’s important to aim for a healthy weight, and what you can do to reach your goal.
At Allied Pharmacy, we’re dedicated to helping both patients and physicians have success with medically supervised weight loss through our available weight-management treatment options.
Why does weight change with age?
Metabolism – the way the body gets energy from food – can change with age. It means you need to cut calories. Others may lose weight unintentionally. This can occur if you have a decreased appetite, have difficulty leaving the house to buy groceries, have pain when chewing or swallowing, or forget to eat. .
Watch out for rapid weight loss
Sudden, unintended weight loss can be a sign of serious medical problems such as cancer, gastrointestinal problems, and even some neurological disorders. If you or a loved one is losing weight unintentionally and rapidly, see your doctor to determine if there is a medical cause.
Why should older people maintain a healthy weight?
Keeping your weight within normal limits is an important part of healthy aging. As with other stages of life, older people with a higher body mass index (BMI) are more likely to develop health problems. These include heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. You can reduce these risks by losing and maintaining a healthy weight. Being underweight also increases your risk of developing health problems. A low BMI can make you more likely to develop medical problems such as osteoporosis and anemia, and can make it harder to recover from illness or infection.
Are we having healthy weight?
Healthy weight ranges for older people are different from other age groups. Scale numbers, even online BMI calculators, are only part of the story. For example, normal-weight older people may have more fat and less muscle than those who are slightly overweight. Always consult your doctor before attempting to lose or gain weight.
What is the relationship between diet, exercise and calories?
By choosing to be active and eat healthy foods, you can maintain or achieve a healthy weight, feel more energetic, and reduce your chances of other health problems. It’s important to choose nutritious foods and aim for at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week. The amount of energy your body gets from the food and drink you eat is measured in calories. Depending on your activity level and other factors, your body needs a certain number of calories each day to maintain your current weight. Determine how many calories you need per day based on your level. To lose weight, exercise more or eat fewer calories than recommended. To gain weight, increase your calorie intake while maintaining moderate activity.
