I take it then that this is not at all associated with intentional weight loss from improved diet and exercise?
Correct.
Diets are good.
This is not altogether new.
There has been known to be a U curve for mortality of 65+ people for some time and the bottom of the U is BMI 27. Not 25. In fact, some oldster dropping from 24 to 23 should be viewed as a dangerous development.
I do not think this article is suggesting BMI 30+ should not lose weight. Risks at 30+ move out of the All Causes stuff into very specific known reasons for death risk.
Weight loss —> 80% diet, 20% exercise. This is from the VA and they are on top of this stuff pretty hard. If weight loss is the goal, don’t think a daily walk is going to do it. Chop calories.
I had the same question. My thought is that they mean that nintentional, unexplained weight loss is a sign of serious illness versus intentional weight loss from dieting, but the article never specified.
“I take it then that this is not at all associated with intentional weight loss from improved diet and exercise?”
That was my question, too.
My friend in her early 70s was told that she was moving up to borderline diabetes. She was probably technically overweight, but not fat or heavy. She was told to lose weight and change her diet so went no sugar / low carb, and Silver Sneakers 3X/week.
The weight melted off quickly and the blood sugar corrected.
In less than a year she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer after being cancer free for 40 years.
Probably coincidence. Anyhow, we lost her in 2018.