Avoid Midlife Weight Gain

Being overweight in middle age reduces your likelihood of gliding into your 70s without any health problems such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer, according to U.S. News & World report senior health writer Deborah Kotz. Obese women have it toughest, found a new study published in October in the British Medical Journal.

They’re nearly 80% less likely to experience “healthy survival” when they reach 70, compared with women who gained fewer than 9 pounds since age 18. Are the researchers showing that thin women who maintain their weight over the years actually live longer? No, according to Kotz. But they do indicate that these women live better, not just avoiding chronic diseases but also sidestepping mental and physical health problems that prevent enjoyment of their senior years.