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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Mark S. Kaplan, DrPH1, Jason T. Newson, PhD2, Bentson H. McFarland, MD PhD3, Joan Lindsay, PhD4, and Nathalie Huguet, MA1. (1) School of Community Health, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, (2) Institute of Aging, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, (3) Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97201, (4) Surveillance and Risk Assessment Division, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Health Canada, Address locator 0602E2, Ottawa, ON K1A 0L2, Canada
The prevalence of obesity among elderly persons in industrialized countries ranges from 15% to 20%. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1991 and 1998, the obesity rate for the U.S. population aged 60-69 and 70 and over increased 45% and 29%, respectively.Obesity is associated with poor health status in the elderly population. Although much is known about physical, social, and economic factors associated with obesity in younger people, far less is known about how patterns of obesity vary within subgroups of the elderly population. This study examined the factors associated with obesity among older men and women. Data for 13,363 community-dwelling persons aged 65 and older from the 1996-97 Canadian Population Health Survey were examined. Predictors of obesity (body mass index [BMI]=>30) were examined using logistic regression analyses. Analyses were stratified by gender. The independent variables included age, education, marital status, place of birth, region, smoking status, alcohol use, chronic conditions, physical activity, functional limitations, social support, and psychological distress. The results revealed that male; younger age; less education; widowed, divorced, or separated marital status; U.S., European, or Australian born; living in the Atlantic provinces; not smoking; chronic conditions; and physical inactivity were independently associated with an increased risk for obesity. The study highlights the differential risks for obesity among subgroups of the elderly population. The results of the study could lead to more targeted weight-control interventions that are designed to promote increased physical activity and healthy eating habits among obese older individuals.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Obesity, Elderly
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.