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Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111 and * Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
2To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: sroberts{at}hurc.tufts.edu
Aging is known to be associated with alterations in body weight that have an important impact on health. Through middle age there is an increase in body weight (1
) associated with a doubling in body fat in men and women living in developed countries (2
,3
). These weight and fat gains are associated with increased morbidity and mortality (4
). In contrast, in late old age, body fat typically decreases even in healthy individuals (2
,3
) and unexplained weight loss leading to protein-energy malnutrition becomes increasingly common in diverse groups of human subjects and also animal models (5
–8
). It is interesting to note that, although the current epidemic of obesity (1
,9
) has resulted in a greater prevalence of obesity than previously, weight gain during adult life was substantial even during the earliest NHANES surveys (Fig. 1
).
|
) and Jakicic (11
) in this edition of the Journal of Nutrition. McCrory (10
) presents data showing the potential for multiple dietary and food-marketing factors to contribute to weight gain in early adult life and weight loss in late adult life. Jakicic (11
) reviews the conflicting evidence on physical activity and adult weight gain to conclude that moderate to vigorous physical activity has the potential to prevent adult weight gain. These two reviews clearly indicate that dietary variables and physical activity may play an important role in minimizing harmful adult weight gain. Further research is needed to quantify the roles of different putative factors, and to design and test intervention studies on the basis of the available data.
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FOOTNOTES |
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LITERATURE CITED |
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 TOPINTRODUCTION LITERATURE CITED |
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1. Kuczmarski, R. J., Flegal, K. M., Campbell, S. M. & Johnson, C. L. (1994) Increasing prevalence of overweight among US adults. The national health and nutrition examination surveys, 1960 to 1990. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 272:205-211.[Abstract]
2. Shimokata, H., Tobin, J. D., Muller, D. C., Elahi, D., Coon, P. J. & Andres, R. (1989) Studies in the distribution of body fat: I. Effects of age, sex, and obesity. J. Gerontol. 44:M66-M73.[Medline]
3. Steen, B. (1988) Body composition and aging. Nutr. Rev. 46:45-51.[Medline]
4. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (1990) Health, United States 1990DHHS Publication no. PHS90-1232, Washington, D.C.
5. Fischer, J. & Johnson, M. A. (1990) Low body weight and weight loss in the aged. J. Am. Diet Assoc. 90:1697-1706.[Medline]
6. Miller, D. K., Morley, J. E., Rubenstein, L. Z., Pietruszka, F. M. & Strome, L. S. (1990) Formal geriatric assessment instruments and the care of older general medical outpatients. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 38:645-651.[Medline]
7. Ryan, A., Nicklas, B. & Elahi, D. (1996) A cross-sectional study on body composition and energy expenditure in women athletes during aging. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 271:E916-E921.
8. Williamson, D. F. (1993) Descriptive epidemiology of body weight and weight change in U.S. adults. Ann. Intern. Med. 119:646-649.
9. Flegal, K. M., Carroll, M. D., Kuczmarski, R. J. & Johnson, C. L. (1998) Overweight and obesity in the United States: prevalence and trends, 1960–1994. Int. J. Obes. 22:39-47.[Medline]
10. McCrory, M. A., Suen, V. M. & Roberts, S. B. (2002) Biobehavioral influences on energy intake and adult weight gain. J. Nutr. 132:3830S-3834S.
11. Jakicic, J. M. (2002) The role of physical activity in prevention and treatment of body weight gain in adults. J. Nutr. 132:3826S-3829S.
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