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According to the results of a new study, for people who have a normal weight when they are young, but put on some weight as they age, the chances of an especially long life increase.
It is well known how bad excess weight can be for people's health - it increases the risk of many diseases and related death. But even in the case of poison, the dosage determines whether it will kill or heal.
The same principle applies to excess weight: a large number of extra kilograms is harmful, and a small amount is quite capable of bringing benefits. This is according to Ohio State University professor Hui Zheng. Research conducted under his leadership showed that a small increase in weight after the age of 50 can increase a person's life expectancy.
"The impact of weight on mortality and quality of life is quite complex. It depends, among other things, on the moment in life when kilograms begin to be added, as well as on their number," says Professor Hui Zheng.
The data obtained in his research project suggest that people who were at a healthy weight when they were young, but gained some weight in adulthood, can expect to live longer.
A group of scientists analyzed data from people who participated in the Framingham Heart Study. The researchers aimed to find out how any fluctuations in body weight affected the life expectancy of the subjects. Their conclusions confirmed that obesity and uncontrolled weight gain are harmful to the human body. Experts recorded the highest mortality among those subjects who were overweight at a young age (up to 31 years) and continued to steadily gain weight in adulthood and with the onset of aging.
In turn, "people who were not fat in their youth, but after 50 years gained a little excess weight, had the highest life expectancy," said the head of the study.
Professor Zheng emphasized that this increase in weight remained stable later on - that is, people no longer gained extra kilograms. Such a stable small fullness, in his opinion, can be the main condition for longevity.
