Overview

• Among adults 65 and older, an overweight BMI (25–29.9) was linked to a 0.8% 30-day mortality after major elective surgery, compared with 18.8% for patients in the normal BMI range.
• Media summaries differed on the underweight subgroup’s 30-day mortality, with two reports citing 15.0% and one report listing 75%, reflecting inconsistent reporting of that figure.
• The study reviewed outcomes for 414 patients treated at a large academic medical center in Southern California between February 2019 and January 2022.
• Researchers reported that overweight status was also associated with fewer postoperative complications and a higher likelihood of discharge to home.
• Authors framed the findings within the debated 'obesity paradox' and called for larger, multi-center studies before any changes to surgical risk tools or counseling for older adults.