Is it healthy for older people to be overweight?

_I'VE HEARD HAVING A LITTLE EXTRA WEIGHT CAN BE PROTECTIVE AS WE GET OLDER. IS THAT TRUE?_ Most of us are pretty obsessed with how much we weigh. But instead of just looking at numbers

on a scale, I suggest you pay attention to your body mass index, or BMI. This measurement calculates your estimated body fat based on both your height and weight. It’s considered a better

indication of your overall health and calculates whether someone is underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control says that a healthy BMI for all adults

over 20 years old is between 18.5 and 24.9. You can check where you stand by going to AARP’s BMI calculator. In general, I don’t think there’s a big difference within the normal range of

your BMI if you fall somewhere within the upper limit versus the lower limit for your height. If your BMI doesn’t show that you’re obese or overweight, a few added pounds could be helpful.

As we age, we tend to lose muscle and bone density, which can result in weight loss and a sense of fragility. But you don’t want your added weight to be in your stomach area. We call this

visceral fat. If fat is lodged there, it releases substances that cause inflammation throughout your body, which can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and other unhealthy

conditions ASK DR. ADAM _Adam B. Rosenbluth, M.D., is an internist and cardiologist in New York City. Each Monday, he’ll weigh in on your questions about how to make your body work better

for you. His AARP book will be published in 2027. Join in on the conversation on social media @dradamrosenbluth to learn to move the needle on your personal health in an achievable way._

Email your questions for Dr. Adam to dradam@aarp.org Instead, aim for increasing your weight by building up muscle mass.  Studies show that there are a host of health benefits when our

muscles are strengthened especially as we age – everything from recovering faster from infection and injury, to better cognition, balance and overall longevity.  My mom, who is approaching

90, gets a little frustrated with me because I’ve enrolled her in three exercise classes a week. She says, “Adam, they exhaust me!” I try to emphasize to her that it’s the good kind of

exhaustion. “You’re building muscles and keeping strong,” I tell her. “And that’s critical for your mental and physical wellbeing.” If you want to try working out at home, AARP has dozens of

exercise videos to guide you.