Research
Adherence
For older adults (≥65 years) with obesity, weight reduction is recommended only after careful consideration of risks/benefits and patient priorities, whereas overweight older adults should maintain stable body weight to avoid sarcopenia and functional decline.
If you are over 65 and obese, focus on a small calorie cut (500 kcal less than usual) combined with strength training and high protein intake (1-1.5g per kg of body weight). If you are merely overweight, do not try to lose weight; focus on maintaining your current weight and muscle mass to prevent frailty.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Weight loss is recommended for obese older adults, while overweight patients are recommended to maintain a stable body weight. Physical exercise and nutritional support are essential to avoid progression of sarcopenia.
Why this rating
Based on narrative review of multiple guidelines and meta-analyses cited in the text.
Source
Take a personalised approach to weight management for older adults with obesity
Michael B. Brown · Drugs & Therapy Perspectives · 2026
DOI 10.1007/s40267-025-01213-w
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Bariatric surgery in older adults (≥65 years) is associated with significantly higher rates of in-hospital mortality and complications compared to younger adults, and should be reserved for refractory cases.Good
- Pharmacological weight loss agents (GLP-1 agonists, etc.) should be used as adjuncts to lifestyle changes in older adults only after careful case-by-case assessment of sarcopenia risk and limited clinical data.Moderate
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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