Overweight is epidemic in Western societies. Our data suggest that overweight at high ages is a risk factor for dementia, particularly AD, in women. This may have profound implications for dementia prevention.

Frailty appears to be a robust concept that is readily operationalized, with the risk of adverse outcomes being largely established by age 70.

High cholesterol in late life was associated with decreased dementia risk, which is in contrast to previous studies suggesting high cholesterol in mid-life is a risk factor for later dementia. The conflicting results may be explained by the timing of the cholesterol measurements in relationship to age and the clinical onset of dementia.

Objective: To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) at age 70, weight change between age 70 and 75, and 15 y mortality. Design: Cohort study of 70-y-olds. Setting: Geriatric Medicine Department, Go Èteborg University, Sweden. Subjects: A total of 2628 (1225 males and 1403 females) 70-y-olds examined in 1971 ± 1981 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Results: The relative risks (RRs) for 15 y mortality were highest in the lowest BMI quintiles of males 1.20 (95% CI 0.96 ± 1.51) and females 1.49 (95% CI 1.14 ± 1.96). In non-smoking males, no signi®cant differences were observed across the quintiles for 5, 10 and 15 y mortality. In non-smoking females, the highest RR (1.58, 95% CI 1.15 ± 2.16) for 15 y mortality was in the lowest quintile. After exclusion of ®rst 5 y death, no excess risks were found in males for following 5 and 10 y mortality across the quintiles. In females, a U-shaped relation was observed after such exclusions. BMI ranges with lowest 15 y mortality were 27 ± 29 and 25 ± 27 kgam 2 in nonsmoking males and females, respectively. A weight loss of ! 10% between age 70 and 75 meant a signi®cantly higher risk for subsequent 5 and 10 y mortality in both sexes relative to individuals with`stable' weights. Conclusion: Low BMI and weight loss are risk factors for mortality in the elderly and smoking habits did not signi®cantly modify that relationship. The BMI ranges with lowest risks for 15 y mortality are relatively higher in elderly. Exclusion of early deaths from the analysis modi®ed the weight ± mortality relationship in elderly males but not in females.

As the same procedure was applied to the analysis of postural balance, some differences between the populations living in different localities could be detected in some of the tests. The better performance of the women in the balance tests may partly be explained by anthropometric factors, especially differences in body height. There may also be differences in sensory-motor associates of balance in elderly men and women. On the basis of the associations observed, it is difficult to explain the differences in balance between the sexes or subjects living in different localities. Within the sexes, only a small proportion (10-13%) of the variation in balance during normal standing with eyes open could be explained by the factors included in the study.