What are the differences between long-lived people and ordinary people in terms of stature, and what are the characteristics of height, fatness, and proportions of each part of the body?
If we collect and analyze the data on the body of thousands of elderly people, what will we find? Recently, researchers from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention have done such a study and found that the elderly of this body type live longer, especially if the body part is "thinner"!
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Longevity often has this characteristic
On April 16, 2024, Professor Shi Xiaoming and Professor Lv Yuebin of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention published a study in the European Heart Journal on the association between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and mortality in people over 80 years old. The study found that among the elderly and long-lived people, the body type with a higher body mass index and a thinner waist circumference had the lowest risk of death. ①
The study collected data on the body of 5,306 people over the age of 80. The study found 2 features:
Feature 1: Being slightly chubby is more conducive to longevity
The risk of all-cause mortality was reduced by 4.5% for each 1 kg/m2 increase in body mass index (BMI = weight ÷ height squared), and the risk of death was lowest when the BMI was around 28 kg/m². This suggests that a slightly fatter figure of the elderly is more conducive to longevity.
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Feature 2: A thinner waist is more conducive to longevity
Waist circumference was positively associated with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and non-cardiovascular mortality. In other words, if two people of the same height, fat and thin, one of whom has a thinner waist circumference, the person has a lower risk of death and is more likely to live a long life.
"Slightly chubby and thin waist" is the best longevity figure
There has always been a rumor that "it is difficult to buy old people to lose weight", which makes many people feel that the healthiest state is to lose weight for the elderly. In fact, this statement is not correct, it turns out that "slightly chubby waist and thin waist" is the best longevity body!
The results of this study confirm that older adults with a higher body mass index (BMI) and a thinner waist circumference have a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, while older adults with a lower body mass index (BMI) and a thicker waist circumference have the highest risk of all-cause mortality. ①
In other words, the younger the waistline, the longer the person is in the older population, and the thinner and thicker the waistline, the higher the risk of death.
In 2023, Li Yanbing, director of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of Beijing You'an Hospital, said in an interview with Beijing TV, "We often say that (the elderly) need a certain amount of fat storage to support the body, and we have two points in the evaluation of fat, one is visceral fat and the other is subcutaneous fat. ”②
It is recommended that the index of visceral fat is of course as low as possible (meaning a thinner waist circumference), and the subcutaneous fat can be stored appropriately (meaning appropriately fat). In this way, there is some consumption when we encounter some big (disease) blows. At this time, the subcutaneous fat is consumed first, and then some protein and other substances are consumed.
And if it is a very thin old man, he will not be able to withstand the blow of some infection or some other diseases. Therefore, the thinner body and the thicker the waistline, the highest risk of death.
How to maintain a "slightly chubby waist" figure?
1. Eat: Make sure it's nutritious and eat more high-quality protein
After a certain age, muscle loss begins to occur and weight loss gradually appears, and the elderly should pay more attention to high-quality protein supplementation. Jiang Hua, chief physician of the emergency center of Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, said in an article in the Health Times in 2017 that studies have found that about 1/3 of people over 50 years old have protein intake that does not meet the recommended standards of dietary nutrition guidelines. Protein is one of the most important raw materials for muscle synthesis, and it is necessary to appropriately increase the intake of high-quality protein foods. ③
The protein content and quality of animal foods are higher than those of plant foods, and the elderly can appropriately increase the intake of milk, eggs, lean meat, poultry, fish, shrimp and soybean products to ensure sufficient staple foods, vegetables and fruits to meet the requirements of a balanced diet.
Experts from the Chinese Nutrition Society have selected the "Top Ten High-quality Protein Foods", the higher the score, the better the protein quality, the easier it is for the body to absorb and utilize, it is recommended that everyone can eat more appropriately. ④
2. Exercise: Control your waist circumference and exercise for at least half an hour a day
There is a saying that "obesity is not terrible, but I am afraid of fat on the stomach!" Too much fat and fat accumulate in the waist and abdomen, which means abdominal obesity, and the waist circumference increases and exceeds the standard.
Zhao Jie, a resident physician in the Department of Endocrinology of Yunnan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, pointed out in an interview with Health Times in 2022 that normal thickness of visceral fat can protect internal organs and prevent damage to internal organs during falls, but too thick visceral fat will lead to abnormal function of organs such as fat heart, fatty liver, fatty kidney, and fatty pancreas. This type of obesity is abdominal obesity and visceral obesity. ⑤
A 2021 study of 3.5 million people published in BMC Medicine found that people with "thick waists and large bellies" had a higher risk of cancer, especially the larger the waist circumference, the greater the risk of cancer (6). The Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Overweight and Obesity in Chinese Adults clearly stipulate that a waist circumference ≥of 85 cm for men and 80 cm for women ≥ 80 cm is considered exceeded.
Dr. Zhao Jie recommends that the way to reduce waist circumference and lose visceral fat is to exercise more, at least half an hour a day. People with excessive visceral fat need to exercise for half an hour to one hour a day, such as running, walking, swimming, cycling, etc., and ball games can help break down fat while consuming energy. Even if you don't have abdominal obesity, you can exercise more to prevent it from happening.
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Source: Health Times