|
|
|
|
|
Barbara M. Altman, PhD, Office of Analysis, Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 6111, Hyattsville, MD 20782, Llewellyn J. Cornelius, PhD, School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Louis L. Kaplan Hall, 525 West Redwood St., Baltimore, MD 21201-1777, and Jeffrey A. Rhoades, PhD, Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, 301-427-1471, jrhoades@ahrq.gov.
Research has shown there is a strong association between disability and obesity. Epidemiological literature makes the case that obesity is a risk factor for disability. However, the nature of the data available to test such a relationship leaves many unanswered questions, particularly about the mechanisms that produce the relationship. On one hand obesity prior to the onset of serious chronic disease, may contribute to the development of those diseases and to subsequent disability. From another perspective, post polio syndrome, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury can limit mobility and lead to obesity. Trend analysis of increasing obesity primarily focuses on age, race, gender, and income aspects of that increase. What is not clear then is if the association of obesity and disability has been a more consistent problem that has been overlooked by health professionals and public health or if the problem of obesity is expanding among those with disability as it is among those without disability. Another factor that is confusing the picture of the relationship is the great variation in the measures of disability used in the research. This analysis, comparing data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey with the 2001 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, provides trend data to answer the question if this is a new or continuing problem for persons with disabilities. The variety of measures of functional limitation, social role limitation and sensory limitation in this data allows for a more comprehensive examination of obesity among the population with disabilities.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Disability, Obesity
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employment