November 2009
Health News: Extra Weight Limits Health Later in Life
Being overweight in middle age reduces a woman's chance of being healthy later in life, according to a recent study. Researchers kept track of the weight and health of 17,000 female nurses from 1976 to 2000. For every 1-point increase in body mass index (a measure of weight relative to height) after age 18, a woman had a 12% lower chance of being healthy at age 70. Good health included being free of major disease and being able to perform daily tasks such as vacuuming and climbing stairs.