Lean at 18 means longer lives, free of disease for women: Study

Being obese in middle age lowers a woman's chance of being alive and free of chronic diseases after age 70 by nearly 80 per cent, according to new data from the landmark U.S. Nurses' Health Study. The findings suggest every bit of weight gain between ages 18 and 50 lowers a woman's odds of being a "healthy survivor" - living to age 70 or older, free from 11 major chronic diseases as well as physical, cognitive and mental impairment. For every one kilogram of weight gain since age 18, the odds of healthy survival decreased by five per cent, the study found. The worst odds for a long and healthy life were among women who were overweight at 18 - with a body mass index greater than 25 - and who gained 10 kilograms or more by mid-life. But even a higher BMI at 18 alone was associated with "moderately, albeit significantly" reduced odds of healthy survival at much older ages. "It's really important, at least for women, to maintain a healthy weight in the very beginning of adulthood to maximize the chance of enjoying a healthy and long life," says Dr. Qi Sun, a research associate in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston - Canwest