Managing Diabetes in Older Adults over Age 65: Weight Management to Reduce Mortality Risk

New research based on health data from the UK Biobank suggests that individuals over 65 with type 2 diabetes can remain “moderately overweight” to minimize the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, contrary to the traditional recommendation of maintaining an ideal body weight.

According to Dr. Shaoyong Xu, maintaining a body mass index (BMI) of 26-28 is associated with the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease for those over 65, while those aged 65 years or younger should aim for a BMI within the normal range of 23-25. This finding highlights the importance of considering age when determining the optimal BMI for individuals with type 2 diabetes.

The study, which included 22,874 participants with type 2 diabetes, found that maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, particularly for those predisposed to cardiovascular disease and death. The researchers suggest that central obesity measures, such as waist circumference, could be used in the future to further refine the risk assessment.

The findings challenge conventional wisdom regarding weight management for individuals with type 2 diabetes and emphasize the need to consider age when setting BMI targets. Maintaining a moderate overweight status for older individuals may be a more practical approach to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the study’s authors.