Association between body mass index and frailty factors in Korean elderly

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the frailty risk according to body mass index (BMI) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) data. Methods: Data from a total of 60,704 subjects of 66-year-old subjects who had taken the Life Transition Period Health Examination from1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 were included in the final analysis. The subjects were classified into five groups according to their BMI, as follows: low weight, normal, overweight, obese and morbidly obese. The associations between the BMI groups and risk of frailty factors such as gait speed, balance, history of falls, cognitive function, and incontinence were evaluated. Results: The frailty risk in terms of gait speed and balance, and the prevalence of a history of falls were increased in the obese and morbidly obese groups compared to in the normal weight group. Conclusion: Differential risks of frailty factors according to BMI groups were evaluated in the current large-scale data analysis.