People who are overweight in middle age are more likely than their normal-weight peers to have a poor quality of life as they grow old. Researchers at the Northwestern University in Chicago, USA looked at data from a study on heart health started in 1967. They used participants' height and weight measurements taken at the study's start to classify them into groups based on body mass index (BMI). The researchers then analysed participants' responses to a health survey sent out in the 1990s in relation to their middle-age BMI. The study of nearly 6,800 men and women found that those who had excess weight in middle age were more likely to report problems with physical, emotional and social well-being 26 years later. The study group consisted of adults who were middle-aged in the late 1960s to early 1970s. They found that for both men and women, those who were average weight in middle age were more likely to be in "excellent" or "very good" health years later. Forty seven percent of normal-weight women rated their health as excellent or very good, compared with 38 percent of overweight women and 24 percent of obese women. They also indicate that young and middle-aged people who are overweight need to act to preserve a good quality of life as they age, which means calorie cutting and regular exercise. Overall, participants who were overweight in middle age were more likely to report problems with physical activities like walking or climbing stairs. Excess weight showed the strongest relationship to physical health, but overweight individuals also scored lower on measures of emotional well-being and social functioning. The public health implications of the findings are great because as life expectancy continues to grow, people will want a high quality of life during those years.

Archives of Internal Medicine, November, 2003