Daily HealthBeat Tip

More pounds, more weariness

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

You might guess an obese person would have more muscle from carrying around that weight. But researchers looking at obese older women think obesity can shrink strength.

Dr. Caroline Blaum of the University of Michigan Medical School:

"People who are obese do feel tired a lot, and are exhausted. We also know from studies that they are relatively weak. Just because you're heavy doesn't necessarily mean you're real strong." (eight seconds)

The researchers looked at, among other things, what they call "frailty syndrome." In obese people, it means they have at least three of these conditions: low activity, weakness, slowness and exhaustion.

Their study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, was in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. In women ages 70 to 79, being frail increased the risk of several common conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and osteoarthritis.

Blaum says the way to fight it is to be more active.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September 22, 2005

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