Muscle Mass Index Predicts Longevity in Older Adults

goldthistime

Apologies if this is out there already, I didn't see it when I searched. More reason to lift?

American Journal of Medicine, March 2014 (Online Feb 20 2014)

Muscle Mass Index as a Predictor of Longevity in Older-Adults

Abstract

Purpose

Obesity (as defined by body mass index) hasn’t been consistently associated with higher mortality in older adults. However, total body mass includes fat and muscle which have different metabolic effects. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that greater muscle mass in older adults will be associated with lower all-cause mortality.

Methods

All-cause mortality was analyzed by the year 2004 in 3,659 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, who were 55 years (65 years if women) or older at the time of the survey (1988-94).I ndividuals who were underweight or died in the first 2 years of follow-up, were excluded so as to remove frail elders from the sample. Skeletal muscle mass was measured using bioelectrical impedance and muscle mass index was defined as muscle mass divided by height squared.Modified Poisson regression and proportional hazards regression were used to examine the relationship of muscle mass index with all-cause mortality risk and rate respectively, adjusted for central obesity (waist hip ratio)and other significant covariates.

Results

In adjusted analyses, total mortality was significantly lower in the fourth quartile of muscle mass index compared to the first: adjusted risk ratio 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.71 – 0.91) and adjusted hazard ratio 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.66 – 0.97).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the survival predication ability of relative muscle mass and highlights the need to look beyond total body mass in assessing the health of older adults.

goldthistime

Seems to be in direct conflict with the calorie restriction for longevity studies that got so much attention some years ago. Lifting weights in my golden years seems more inviting than starving myself.

astronomicals

Lifting weights in my golden years seems more inviting than starving myself.

Or you could just do strength training while achieving a healthy body weight through a sensible diet.

You make it sound as if an obese individual should be bulking, which they assuredly should not be.