Overweight older women 'have weaker legs'

Overweight older women, who may be using home care, do not have as much strength in their legs as their thinner peers, research has shown.

A study published in the Journal of electromyography and Kinesiology found that the power and strength in the legs of overweight older women is significantly less than that of normal weight women.

Overweight women had 38 per cent less leg power and 24 per cent lower strength than normal weight women.

This increases the risk of disability and loss of independence, indicating that heavier seniors could require home care the most.

Lead author Dain LaRoche commented: "Everything pointed to the fact that it was the extra fat that these people were carrying that was really limiting their mobility.

"Being of a normal body weight lets you perform activities of daily living and live on your own longer."

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