By Shereen Jegtvig NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – For Australians over age 65 included in a new study, being obese raised the risk of experiencing a fall by 31 percent. “Falls are one of the most common causes of injury for older individuals and as the world population ages, the number of fall-related injuries are projected to increase rapidly,” said lead author Rebecca Mitchell. “Likewise, rates of overweight and obesity among older individuals are also increasing,” added Mitchell, a researcher with Neuroscience Research Australia at the University of New South Wales. Mitchell and her colleagues wanted to determine whether overweight and obesity added to the risk of falling among older adults, as well as the risk of being injured in a fall.