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.

Objective: To describe longitudinal changes in height and body weight between the ages of 70 and 95 y. Design: Longitudinal cohort study with representative sample of 70-y-olds. Setting: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Go Èteborg University, Sweden. Subjects: 449 males and 524 females, aged 70 y, living in Go Èteborg were examined in 1971 ± 72 and this study population participated on 11 occasions during a 25-year follow-up. Results: Mean height decreased 4 and 4.9 cm in males and females respectively and the trend was signi®cant between the ages of 70 and 95 y in both sexes. Between 70 and 75 y of age, a signi®cant difference was found between quintiles of body height where in the highest quintile height was lowered by 0.4 and 0.3 cmay, in males and females respectively, and in the lowest quintile by 0.1 cmay in both sexes. Mean body weight decreased 3.2 and 5.1 kg in males and females respectively, from age 70 to 95 y. The trend was signi®cant over 22 and 20 y for males and females, respectively. Between the ages of 70 and 80 y, individuals in highest quintile of body weight decreased at a rate of 0.8 and 0.6 kgay, three times higher than those in lowest quintile. Due to the decrease in both height and weight over time, body mass index (BMI) was less affected. Conclusion: Height, body weight and BMI decreased signi®cantly in both sexes after age 70 y, and there was a gender difference in the trend. The results can be used as reference data for Swedish elderly and might be of importance to the understanding of anthropometry with the ageing process.