The Elderly

As we get older our body gradually loses lean body mass due to loss of bone mass, skeletal muscle, Total Body Water and metabolically active cells and if our diet remains relatively unchanged we will eventually gain  weight as the total energy expenditure would have declined. Our changes in our Total Body Water are most likely indicators of loss in Intracellular fluid, representing a loss in skeletal muscle mass. As we get older, we should either exercise more or eat less in order to maintain a stable and healthy weight. The loss of metabolically active cells with age also means a decline in lean body weight and increase in percentage of body fat. As a health and fitness professional you may need to identify individuals who are over or under fat, to calculate their body weight that corresponds to fatness levels that are optimal for good health. Overweight or obese individuals have a higher risk of health risks. At the other end of the scale having too little body fat also possesses many risks. Body weight on its own is not an indicator of having less body fat.

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