Seniors with Gum Disease Lose Weight

A 2-year study of 1053 individuals ?65 years of agelinked periodontal disease with an increased prevalenceof weight loss in older adults. Also, the study found thatthe more extensive the disease was the greater theweight loss was, as the researchers reported in theJournal of the American Geriatrics Society (April 2004).

The researchers assessed the severity of periodontaldisease in relation to attachment loss between teethand gums, the extent of bleeding on probing, andinflammation of the gums. Overall, "weight loss of atleast 5% occurred in 140 (13.4%) members of the studypopulation," the investigators said. Furthermore, theresults showed that seniors with periodontal diseasewere 53% more likely to have experienced weight loss,compared with individuals with healthy gums and teeth.