Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBMI and Older AdultsHealthy Weight RangeWeight ChartCalculate Your BMIHigher BMI BenefitsUnderweightWeight Goals
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
BMI and Older Adults
Healthy Weight Range
Weight Chart
Calculate Your BMI
Higher BMI Benefits
Underweight
Weight Goals
A healthy weight and BMI range for adults over age 65 may mean carrying a few extra pounds. According to the National Institutes of Health, abody mass index (BMI)of 25 to 27, which is typically considered overweight, may offer bone health benefits and protect againstosteoporosis.
Some studies also show that being underweight can increase the risk of death, disability, anddementia.In other research, extra weight (possibly due to better nutrition) may offer benefits in people with specific health conditions, including cancer or heart failure.
BMI is a dated,flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
How BMI Affects Older Adults
There are certain risks associated with having a high BMI at any age. These include:
But a low BMI is also unhealthy, especially for older adults. This has led some experts—including the National Institutes of Health—to suggest that an ideal BMI for older adults is between 25 and 27.That compares with a healthy BMI for younger adults over age 20, which is between 18.5 and 24.9, with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 considered overweight.
A Healthy Weight for Older Adults
Research published in 2023 was based on 58 studies that included more than 1.1 million people ages 65 and older. Its focus was the “obesity paradox,” in which extra weight may have a protective effect in older adults but leads to health risks in younger adults. Results include:
The 2023 research follows older studies that identified an increased risk of death in older adults when BMI was below 23 or above 33.Taken together, the healthiest weight for older adults may fall between BMIs of 25 and 27, maintained with ahealthy dietand regular exercise.
Waist Circumference and WellnessA person’s waist circumference may be able to predict the risk of certain health conditions that occur later in life. For example, when more fat accumulates in the waist instead of the hips, it can signal a higher risk of experiencing heart disease andtype 2 diabetes. These risks are heightened in women with a waist size larger than 35 inches and in men with a waist size larger than 40 inches.
Waist Circumference and Wellness
A person’s waist circumference may be able to predict the risk of certain health conditions that occur later in life. For example, when more fat accumulates in the waist instead of the hips, it can signal a higher risk of experiencing heart disease andtype 2 diabetes. These risks are heightened in women with a waist size larger than 35 inches and in men with a waist size larger than 40 inches.
Weight Chart for Older Adults
If you don’t know your BMI, you can use the following BMI calculator to find out.
Benefits of a Higher BMI
Several studies have found that being underweight at age 65 was linked to poor health and shorterlife expectancy. Being overweight or obese at 65 was only rarely linked to worse health outcomes or lower life expectancy compared to those who were at a healthy weight at age 65.
Studies on specific benefits suggest:
Older adults who do not have a low BMI also may enjoy a more active and independent lifestyle. However, some studies find that both obesity and being underweight can lead to frailty.
Risks of Lower BMI
A low BMI decreases your chances of recovering from illnesses and infections. For example, underweight stroke survivors have worse outcomes than stroke survivors who are overweight or average weight.Being underweight increases the risk of developing health problems, including nutritional deficiencies that cause medical problems such asosteoporosis.
Many conditions, such ascancer, gastrointestinal disease, and neurological disease, can prevent older adults from eating or absorbing nutrients. This may lead to a low BMI, often unintentionally and for the first time in their lives.
Weight Maintenance Goals
When trying to stay healthy, you should work with a healthcare provider. Despite what charts and calculators may say, the target BMI is not the same for everyone. Weight loss (or gain) may be a sign of a health issue that requires diagnosis and treatment.
You may need to factor in additional considerations, such as:
Anutritionistcan help to guide you as you set your calorie goals. Nutritionists can also help you decide whether you need to take vitamin and mineral supplements.
How Older Adults Can Gain WeightAdd foods with a high calorie-to-volume ratio into the diet, including nuts, nut butters, avocados, dried fruit, whole grains, pasta, chocolate, cheese, and full-fat dairy.Eat five to six smaller meals per day rather than the traditional three.Eat 1 gram of protein per day for each kilogram of body weight.Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over food. It delivers 887 calories per 100 grams.Prepare high-calorie meals, such as casseroles, in bulk, or sign up for a meal delivery service so that food is always on hand.Speak to your healthcare provider about any nutritional supplements you may need.
How Older Adults Can Gain Weight
Add foods with a high calorie-to-volume ratio into the diet, including nuts, nut butters, avocados, dried fruit, whole grains, pasta, chocolate, cheese, and full-fat dairy.Eat five to six smaller meals per day rather than the traditional three.Eat 1 gram of protein per day for each kilogram of body weight.Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over food. It delivers 887 calories per 100 grams.Prepare high-calorie meals, such as casseroles, in bulk, or sign up for a meal delivery service so that food is always on hand.Speak to your healthcare provider about any nutritional supplements you may need.
Summary
Healthcare providers recommend most adults keep their BMI between 18 and 24.9. Adults with a BMI over 25 are considered overweight and a BMI over 30 is considered obese. Older adults, though, do better if they have a BMI between 25 and 27. Research shows that adults over 65 who are underweight experience more health issues and shorter life expectancy.
There are no official recommendations on what the ideal weight range or BMI should be for people over 65, but it’s important to avoid weight loss due to illness or poor nutrition. Your healthcare providers can help you determine the best diet plan for your health and help to improve your nutrition.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Body mass index.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Health Tips for Older Adults.Borda MG, Venegas-Sanabria LC, Garcia-Cifuentes E, et al.Body mass index, performance on activities of daily living and cognition: Analysis in two different populations.BMC Geriatr. 2021;21(1):177. doi:10.1186/s12877-021-02127-8Dramé M, Godaert L.The Obesity Paradox and Mortality in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Nutrients. 2023 Apr 6;15(7):1780. doi: 10.3390/nu15071780Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About BMI.Wu S, Yang YM, Zhu J, Wan HB, Wang J, Zhang H,et al.Impact of Age on the Association Between Body Mass Index and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.J Nutr Health Aging. 2017;21(10):1125-1132. doi: 10.1007/s12603-016-0863-2Winter JE, MacInnis RJ, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Nowson CA.BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: A meta-analysis.Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(4):875-90. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.068122National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Assessing your weight and health risk.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult BMI Calculator.Sun W, Huang Y, Xian Y, et al.Association of body mass index with mortality and functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke.Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):2507. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-02551-0Lee G, Park J, Oh SW, et al.Association between body mass index and quality of life in elderly people over 60 years of age.Korean J Fam Med. 2017;38(4):181-191. doi:10.4082/kjfm.2017.38.4.181Sun Q, Xia X, He F.Longitudinal association between Body mass index (BMI), BMI trajectories and the risk of frailty among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.Arch Gerontol Geriatr.2024 Sep;124:105467. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105467Robinson SM.Improving nutrition to support healthy ageing: What are the opportunities for intervention?.Proc Nutr Soc. 2018;77(3):257–264. doi:10.1017/S0029665117004037
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Body mass index.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Health Tips for Older Adults.Borda MG, Venegas-Sanabria LC, Garcia-Cifuentes E, et al.Body mass index, performance on activities of daily living and cognition: Analysis in two different populations.BMC Geriatr. 2021;21(1):177. doi:10.1186/s12877-021-02127-8Dramé M, Godaert L.The Obesity Paradox and Mortality in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Nutrients. 2023 Apr 6;15(7):1780. doi: 10.3390/nu15071780Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About BMI.Wu S, Yang YM, Zhu J, Wan HB, Wang J, Zhang H,et al.Impact of Age on the Association Between Body Mass Index and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.J Nutr Health Aging. 2017;21(10):1125-1132. doi: 10.1007/s12603-016-0863-2Winter JE, MacInnis RJ, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Nowson CA.BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: A meta-analysis.Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(4):875-90. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.068122National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Assessing your weight and health risk.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult BMI Calculator.Sun W, Huang Y, Xian Y, et al.Association of body mass index with mortality and functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke.Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):2507. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-02551-0Lee G, Park J, Oh SW, et al.Association between body mass index and quality of life in elderly people over 60 years of age.Korean J Fam Med. 2017;38(4):181-191. doi:10.4082/kjfm.2017.38.4.181Sun Q, Xia X, He F.Longitudinal association between Body mass index (BMI), BMI trajectories and the risk of frailty among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.Arch Gerontol Geriatr.2024 Sep;124:105467. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105467Robinson SM.Improving nutrition to support healthy ageing: What are the opportunities for intervention?.Proc Nutr Soc. 2018;77(3):257–264. doi:10.1017/S0029665117004037
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Body mass index.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Health Tips for Older Adults.Borda MG, Venegas-Sanabria LC, Garcia-Cifuentes E, et al.Body mass index, performance on activities of daily living and cognition: Analysis in two different populations.BMC Geriatr. 2021;21(1):177. doi:10.1186/s12877-021-02127-8Dramé M, Godaert L.The Obesity Paradox and Mortality in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Nutrients. 2023 Apr 6;15(7):1780. doi: 10.3390/nu15071780Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About BMI.Wu S, Yang YM, Zhu J, Wan HB, Wang J, Zhang H,et al.Impact of Age on the Association Between Body Mass Index and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.J Nutr Health Aging. 2017;21(10):1125-1132. doi: 10.1007/s12603-016-0863-2Winter JE, MacInnis RJ, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Nowson CA.BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: A meta-analysis.Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(4):875-90. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.068122National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Assessing your weight and health risk.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult BMI Calculator.Sun W, Huang Y, Xian Y, et al.Association of body mass index with mortality and functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke.Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):2507. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-02551-0Lee G, Park J, Oh SW, et al.Association between body mass index and quality of life in elderly people over 60 years of age.Korean J Fam Med. 2017;38(4):181-191. doi:10.4082/kjfm.2017.38.4.181Sun Q, Xia X, He F.Longitudinal association between Body mass index (BMI), BMI trajectories and the risk of frailty among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.Arch Gerontol Geriatr.2024 Sep;124:105467. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105467Robinson SM.Improving nutrition to support healthy ageing: What are the opportunities for intervention?.Proc Nutr Soc. 2018;77(3):257–264. doi:10.1017/S0029665117004037
MedlinePlus.Body mass index.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).Health Tips for Older Adults.
Borda MG, Venegas-Sanabria LC, Garcia-Cifuentes E, et al.Body mass index, performance on activities of daily living and cognition: Analysis in two different populations.BMC Geriatr. 2021;21(1):177. doi:10.1186/s12877-021-02127-8
Dramé M, Godaert L.The Obesity Paradox and Mortality in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.Nutrients. 2023 Apr 6;15(7):1780. doi: 10.3390/nu15071780
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About BMI.
Wu S, Yang YM, Zhu J, Wan HB, Wang J, Zhang H,et al.Impact of Age on the Association Between Body Mass Index and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.J Nutr Health Aging. 2017;21(10):1125-1132. doi: 10.1007/s12603-016-0863-2
Winter JE, MacInnis RJ, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Nowson CA.BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: A meta-analysis.Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(4):875-90. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.068122
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Assessing your weight and health risk.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adult BMI Calculator.
Sun W, Huang Y, Xian Y, et al.Association of body mass index with mortality and functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke.Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):2507. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-02551-0
Lee G, Park J, Oh SW, et al.Association between body mass index and quality of life in elderly people over 60 years of age.Korean J Fam Med. 2017;38(4):181-191. doi:10.4082/kjfm.2017.38.4.181
Sun Q, Xia X, He F.Longitudinal association between Body mass index (BMI), BMI trajectories and the risk of frailty among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.Arch Gerontol Geriatr.2024 Sep;124:105467. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105467
Robinson SM.Improving nutrition to support healthy ageing: What are the opportunities for intervention?.Proc Nutr Soc. 2018;77(3):257–264. doi:10.1017/S0029665117004037
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