Question 1
Younger age at time of operation was associated with long-term successful weight loss, but BMI, body composition, and dietary intake were not predictive of successful weight loss in this study. Why do you think age might reflect on a person’s weight loss success?
posted by Anonymous @ 6:56 PM
25 comments
25 Comments:
Age may be reflective of a person’s weight loss success due to the fact that as a person ages many physiologic changes occur. One change in particular includes the age-related decline in metabolism related to a decrease in energy expenditure and a reduction in fat-free mass. Like all weight-loss regimens, bariatric surgery also requires long-term commitment and hard work. Prior to surgery, all patients should be informed of the various predictors of long-term success, especially older patients, since less weight loss success has been reported among this population. If older patients understand the physiologic changes that accompany aging, they may have a better chance of long-term weight-loss success.
I think age could be a predictor for weight loss due to several factors. For one, the fact that they need/want this surgery at a younger age may have scared them or motivated them more so that the older participants. Also, because they are younger they may not have co-mobidities that are a concern when trying to deal with weight loss (diabetes, heart issues, joint pain, etc) which makes it easier for them to get up and exercise to help with the weight loss. Furthermore, because they have had eating problems/concerns for a less amount of time, it could be easier for them to break the bad habits and change, whereas someone that has had the same eating patterns for 10 more years could find it harder to change.
I think that the older people are, the harder it is to change long-term behaviors. People at a younger age that are in need of surgery may still be discovering and deciding on their personal eating behaviors. During this period of discovery, these younger people may have lost control along the way, which has led them to needing gastric-bypass. Post-surgery, younger people may find it easier to completely overhaul their eating habits versus those that have practiced the same habits for many more years.
As people get older, they most likely have habits that they are accustomed to and therefore may be more difficult to motivate to change. In comparison, the younger patients may be more open to health advice as they have not been practicing these habits for quite as long. Instilling healthy habits at a younger age may lead to long-term success in these individuals.
Anna, I agree with your point that older individuals have more difficulty losing weight due to a decline in metabolism. This was not my first thought, but a very good point.
Rachel, I agree with your statement about older individuals having more co-mobities than those who are younger. Certain diseases/illnesses can certainly limit individuals in their everyday activities. Also, I do agree with you all when you say that habits are harder to break with age.
There are many reasons why age might reflect a person's weight loss success. For example, younger individuals tend to have a faster metabolism than older individuals. They are probably more likely to follow what their doctor/RD said for fear that they will have to have a surgery again. Many co-morbidities like type II diabetes and high cholesterol are associated with a higher age and they can further complicate a persons attempt of losing weight and keeping it off. I also think that many younger individuals are more preoccupied with their body image and weight compared to older individuals. Not to mention that past generations did not have the same view of what the "ideal" body weight was, which has been shaped by society and is now much different with our generation.
Meredith, I completely agree with you about how the older a person is, the harder it will be to change those old behaviors and habits that they have had for most of their lives. I feel like you are more likely to have an older person that is stubborn and not want to follow diet orders/exercise than a younger person who probably wants to change and is willing to listen to their doctor/RD so they don't have to come back (have another surgery or even just going to the doctors office.
I think the answer has been covered well. I believe it would be a combination of the age-related decline in metabolism and the possibly the increased motivation to be successful. Additionally, there may be a decreased amount of co-morbidities amongst a younger generation as well. Obviously, the more co-morbidities the increased risk for complications and poor outcomes.
The younger you are the less time you have had to be set in your lifestyle. In addition the younger you are the more support you may have to get individuals involved in exercise and other behavior changes. And a final thought is the younger you are the less chances you have fighting age related physiological changes.
I believe age reflect a person’s weight loss success for numerous reasons. First of all, those who are younger in age are less set in their ways when it comes to diet. When you’re younger you may be more open-minded to changes. Younger people tend to be more active than those who are older, which could lead to weight loss. Also, younger people may have fewer health issues and complications that could prevent them from working out.
Rachel, I agree with you that it’s a combination of age-related decline in metabolism and the increased motivation for change when one is younger. I wasn’t thinking about the decline in metabolism; it’s a very good point.
I think the reason behind younger age associated with long-term weight loss success is multifactorial. I think that younger participants lost more weight because they had less time to form the bad habits that may have led to initial weight gain. Younger participants may be more motivated to lose weight because of a recently diagnosed co-morbidity, that may have more of an impact psychologically earlier in life. Meaning, they want to live a longer, healthy life.
Rachel Wayne is right, the more co-morbidities an individual has, the more complications associated with surgery. Perhaps older individuals could not tolerate an exercise regimen in addition to the dietary modifications necessitated by bariatric surgery.
My initial thought when I saw this question was that younger people are less set in their ways and may be more impressionable when being told what/how to eat since they have more of their lives ahead of them. I do believe there is more to this finding though. I'm sure activity level and belief that they can change their health future are also involved.
Sarah U.
I agree with Meredith that it may be harder to changes habits in older adults since they are so set in their ways. I think that combined with complications from other health problems could be a reason why they didn't lose as much weight.
Sarah U.
There really isn't much more to say then what has already been said. My first thought, like many others was habit formation but I think education plays a key role in successful weight loss. I feel that the younger generation is much more informed and aware of health and how important a healthy lifestyle is for prevention of certain diseases/complications. The older population grew up more ignorant to what is considered healthy or unhealthy especially when it comes to food and they tend to have less knowledge on the subject. This goes along with their formation of lifestyle choices which as everyone mentioned are very difficult to change when you have been adhering to them for so long. On the other hand, the younger generation grew up with all the research that has been going on with health so they have been much more informed at a younger age.
Age can hugely affect a person's ability (actual or perceived) to partake in physical activity. Since physical activity is a major component of sustaining weight loss, age can have a substantial role in successful long-term weight loss.
Other factors to consider include changing one's habits at a young age versus after years and years of repeating these habits, as well as hormonal changes surrounding menopause.
Anna Taylor
Rachel, that's an excellent point about comorbiities of older bypass pts affecting their ability to be physically active. Also, Melanie, I agree that with age comes a decline in metabolism; this can play an important role in the ability to lose weight and maintain that weight loss.
Anna Taylor
I think that as we age, we become set in our ways, so to speak. If you’ve lived your whole life eating terrible foods in too large quantities and getting little or no physical activity, having a surgery isn’t going to change that. It’s also most likely not going to change their mindset, unless they receive rather extensive counseling and they are willing to change. But when someone is young and they don’t have decades of unhealthy living under their belts and they want to change in some degree by having bariatric surgery done, I think they are going to have a better likelihood of losing weight. Also, as we age our metabolisms slow, so a younger person is more than likely going to have a faster metabolism as well which can aid in their weight loss.
Rachel, I think you brought up a good point about older adults possibly having more co-morbidities. If that's the case, weight loss would definitely be more difficult to achieve than for a healthy, younger person.
There are several factors as to why age might reflect a person's weight loss success after this operation. Decrease in metabolic activity occurs with age and well-developed eating habits may be more difficult to change at an older age. Also, individuals may expect health complications to increase with age. With that being said, the younger population that underwent this operation may feel more motivated and determined to lose weight as the coinciding health concerns are not as common for their age group.
Change is hard, and the longer people have been doing something one way, the harder making changes to those ways tends to be. Therefore, younger age likely means less time developing these disordered eating patterns. Also, younger surgery recipients may have more energy and motivation to complete the physical activity part of the weight loss plan than their older counterparts.
Anna and several of you other girls...
Great point about how age related changes in metabolism also likely affect weight loss success of the bariatric population. I think that point could be easily overlooked, especially by the general public who does not know much about the inner-workings of the body as they relate to weight loss.
Each person is different, of course, but in general, I think that younger people are more willing to take measures to improve weight for appearances sake. That may be a bigger motivator for younger people than older.
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