Obesity refers to when a person has a weight that is higher than what is considered healthy for their height. In particular, obesity is when there is too much fat accumulation in our body that it poses a risk to our health.
One of the most common used measures of obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI) which is a calculation of the relationship between weight and height. This can be used as a way to self-monitor for risk of obesity. The general standard is that when we have a BMI that is equivalent or greater than 25 but less than 30, we are considered overweight, and if our BMI is anything above 30, we are considered obese.
Obesity in Seniors
Obesity at any age is a worrying condition. However, it is considerably a larger cause for concern in seniors due to the prevalence of other medical conditions and cognitive decline that come with old age. Illness, depression, disability, chronic conditions, and loss of mobility are all symptoms associated with obesity. If a senior is both obese and have some medical conditions, it can very easily lead to a vicious cycle that is hard to recover and break out from. More importantly, this can have a very devastating impact on the individual’s quality of life due to the slower rate of rehabilitation and metabolism in seniors.
Treatment for Obesity in Seniors
Weight loss at any age would require a diet-exercise combination. This means monitoring both caloric intake through food as well as the amount of energy burnt via exercise and movement. However, exercise in particular has been proven to be beneficial for seniors with obesity beyond just weight loss. In particular, fitness exercises have been proven to have many benefits.
Benefits of Fitness Exercises
Research has shown that physical activity is one of the top contributors to longevity, having a positive effect on cardiovascular health, mobility, energy levels, and even social engagement.
The first and most obvious benefit is that exercising helps seniors to maintain a healthy weight. This sounds easy, but as a person grows older, their metabolism slows down. This means that it would take more exercise and activity to burn the same amount of calorie as compared to a younger adult. Fitness exercises can help to maintain and even increase metabolism, as well as increase muscle mass which will in turn help to burn off more calories.
The next benefit is that exercise will help with minimizing the occurrence and impact of chronic diseases and other illnesses. For example, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers have been shown to be less prevalent in seniors who exercise more. This is largely due to the fact that exercise helps with strengthening the immune system, blood pressure levels, as well as bone density.
Many fitness exercises are also social activities – people gather to walk, dance or practice yoga together. In fact, here at Rittenhouse Village At Muhlenberg, we feature fitness exercises as one of the exclusive senior living programs in our senior living community. To find out more about what we offer, contact us today!
