Helping Obese Older Adults Be Heart-Healthy

A program of lifestyle intervention that includes dietary changes and exercise can help obese older adults reduce their risk of coronary heart disease, according to a recently reported study.

Researchers studied lifestyle interventions in a 6-month controlled trial in which 17 obese outpatients, ≥65 years, with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30, were randomized to engage in treatment, while 10 control subjects received no special therapy.

The lifestyle intervention included a balanced diet to provide an energy deficit of 750 calories per day, with about 30% of energy as fat, 50% as carbohydrates, and 20% as protein. Participants met weekly with a dietitian experienced in group behavioral therapy for obese people. Participants also engaged in exercise-training sessions 3 days per week. The sessions, each about 90 minutes long, were supervised by a physical therapist.

According to researchers, body weight decreased by 8.8% in the treatment group, while the control group had no change. The treatment group also had significant improvement in waist size, plasma glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and serum triglycerides.

The number of people with metabolic syndrome—a cluster of symptoms including a large waist size, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidemia—decreased by 59% among those in the treatment group, while participants in the control group showed no change.

Although the study was relatively brief and included a limited number of subjects, it provides intriguing evidence that an intensive program of lifestyle interventions can significantly reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in obese older adults.

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