There are two current trends in industrialised countries that will have a considerable impact on public health: i) the oldest age groups are growing at a rapid peace (US Census bureau, 2001) and ii) the great increase in overweight and obesity (Int J Obes relat Metab Disord 1998; 22.29-47, JAMA 2006, 295: 1549-55). Overweight in mid-life has been associated with a significantly reduced probability of healthy survival in men at age of 85 or older (JAMA 2006; 296: 2343-50). It is important to underline also that, although women live longer than men and tend to have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity, data for women are lacking (Ann Intern Med 1995; 122.481-6). The authors investigated early adulthood and mid life adiposity and weight change from early adulthood to mid-life in relation to healthy survival at age of 70 and older in the Nurses’ Health Study. 17.065 women who survived until at least the age of 70, provided information on occurrence of chronic disease, cognitive function, physical function and mental health at older ages and they were free from major chronic diseases (cancer, diabetes, myocardial infarction, coronary artery by pass graft surgery, congestive heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) at mid life (main age was 50 at baseline in 1976). The main outcome was: healthy survival until the age of 70 and over was defined as having no history of 11 major chronic diseases, no major impairment of cognitive function, no major limitation of physical functions and good mental health. Among the women who survived at least until the age of 70, 1.686 (9.9%) met our criteria for healthy survival. Increased body mass index (BMI) at baseline was significantly associated with linearly reduced odds of healthy survival compared with usual survival, after adjustment for various lifestyle and dietary variables (P<0.001 for trend). Compared with lean women (BMI 18.5-22.9), obese women (BMI >or=30) had 79% lower odds of healthy survival (odds ratio 0.21, 95% confidence interval 0.15 to 0.29). In addition, the weight gained from the age of 18 until mid-life is associated to a less healthy survival after the age of 70. The lowest odds of healthy survival were among women who were overweight (BMI >or=25) at age 18 and gained >or=10 kg weight (0.18, 0.09 to 0.36), relative to women who were lean (BMI 18.5-22.9) and maintained a stable weight. These data provide evidence that adiposity in mid-life is strongly related to a reduced probability of healthy survival among women who live until older ages, and emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy weight from early adulthood. It is also important to underline strengths and limitations of the study. Strengths: high follow up rate, large sample size, valid data on chronic diseases and validated methods to measure physical and mental limitations and cognitive function. Limitations: the study of population was primarily white, working nurses with relatively better health status and behaviors than the general population; subjectivity in the definition of healthy survivor.