title: A systematic review of the literature concerning the relationship between obesity and mortality in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is a risk factor for chronic diseases and premature mortality, but the extent of these associations among the elderly is under debate. The aim of this systematic literature review (SR) is to collate and critically assess the available information of the impact of obesity on mortality in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  In PubMed, there are three-hundred twelve papers on the relationship between obesity and mortality among older adults. These papers were analysed on the basis of their abstracts, and sixteen studies were considered suitable for the purpose of the study. It was possible to perform a pooled estimate for aggregated data in three different studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this SR document that an increased mortality in obese older adults. The limitation of BMI to index obesity and the noted protective action of a moderate increase in BMI on mortality are highlighted. Waist circumference is an indicator of central adiposity and potentially as good a risk factor for mortality as BMI in obese elderly adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. lorenzomaria.donini@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Donini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savina
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gennaro
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: De Felice
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosano
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pandolfo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Del Balzo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cannella
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.forename: Wm C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chumlea
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002423:Cause of Death; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000401:mortality*; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference