Maintaining Weight as We Age Means More Exercise

Q. I've exercised most of my adult years and now, at 79, enjoy good health. I've been trying to lose a little extra weight that I gained over the holidays, but I've been having a terrible time. Is this my imagination or am I doing something wrong?

Unfortunately, no. You are not imagining your weight struggles. A study of more than 34,000 healthy women – half of whom were 55 or older – found that it takes these women on a usual diet approximately 60 minutes a day of moderate-intensity activity just to maintain a normal weight.

The study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) also found physical activity was associated with less weight gain over 13 years only among women of normal weight. “These data suggest that the 2008 federal recommendation for 150 minutes per week, while clearly sufficient to lower the risks of chronic diseases, is insufficient for weight gain prevention absent caloric restriction,” according to the report in the March 24 issue of JAMA.

For women consuming a usual diet, physical activity was associated with less weight gain only among women whose BMI was lower than 25. “Because the average U.S. adult gains weight with age, developing ways to prevent unhealthful weight gain would help them avoid having to lose weight and then trying to maintain that loss. Compared with the vast body of research on the treatment of overweight and obese individuals, little research exists on preventing weight gain,” the authors write.

What is clear is the fact that staying active is vital to healthy aging. Research also reveals that remaining active can become more difficult, which is why it is so important that you continue to be diligent about your exercise program. A recent national survey conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network found that 74 percent of seniors 65 and older say that staying physically active is a major challenge.

Companionship is a vital component of staying active. So encourage a friend to exercise with you or join a class. Or consider a caregiver companion from Home Instead Senior Care. Many enjoy hobbies and activities with their clients.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For more about the study, log on to http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/303/12/117.