Changes in Weight or Body Composition by Frailty Status: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Weight loss may benefit older adults with obesity. However, it is unknown whether individuals with different frailty phenotypes have different outcomes following weight loss. Community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 (n = 53) with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m² were recruited for a six-month, single-arm, technology-based weight loss study. A 45-item frailty index identified frailty status using subjective and objective measures from a baseline geriatric assessment. At baseline, n = 22 participants were classified as pre-frail (41.5%) and n = 31 were frail (58.5%), with no differences in demographic characteristics. While weight decreased significantly in both groups (pre-frail: 90.8 ± 2.7 kg to 85.5 ± 2.4 kg (p < 0.001); frail: 102.7 ± 3.4 kg to 98.5 ± 3.3 kg (p < 0.001), no differences were observed between groups for changes in weight (p = 0.30), appendicular lean mass/height² (p = 0.47), or fat-free mass (p = 0.06). Older adults with obesity can safely lose weight irrespective of frailty status using a technology-based approach. Further investigation is needed to determine whether the impact of specific lifestyle interventions differ by frailty status.

Keywords:

• Frailty
• obesity
• technology
• weight loss

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical standard statement

This study aligns with the research laws in the United States.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health (K23AG051681), the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Center of Aging and Health, and the North Carolina Translation and Clinical Sciences Institute UL1TR002489. Dr. Batsis has equity in SynchroHealth LLC, a remote monitoring company.