Recorded presentation

Marcia G. Ory, PhD, MPH, School of Rural Public Health - Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Texas A & M University System Health Science Center, 3000 Briarcrest Drive, Suite 310, Bryan, TX 77802, (979) 845-2387, mory@srph.tamushsc.edu and Joseph R. Sharkey, PhD, MPH, RD, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, 1103 University Drive, Suite 203, College Station, TX 77840.

Objectives: To extend prevention research by examining the relationship between obesity and self-reported burden of living with diabetes in homebound older women. Abstract Text Objectives: Body mass index (BMI), physical performance (LEP) and self-reported sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were examined in 221 randomly sampled homebound women (aged 61-98 years, 49% Black, 70% income <$750/month, and 58% live alone), who completed two yearly in-home assessments. Methods: Using multinomial logistic regression models, dependent variables were: 1) burden of diabetes at baseline, and 2) level of change over 1-y in burden of diabetes: 0 = no change (64.7%), 1 = less burden (15.4%), and 2 = greater burden (19.9%). Results: At first assessment, more than 32% of women reported diabetes (8.6% none, 12.2% little, and 11.3% large burden of diabetes). At baseline, the greatest burden was associated with younger age, having heart disease, worst LEP, and low income. After controlling for baseline LEP, comorbidities, and other covariates, a greater burden of living with diabetes at 1-y was associated with having BMI ≥35 (OR 9.4). Conclusions: In this homebound older sample, women who experienced a greater burden of living with diabetes at 1-y were more likely to be obese at baseline, independent of other factors. These results suggest that obesity may be a reasonable target for intervention to reduce the burden of diabetes in older women. Further research is now needed to determine how obesity, independent of other health-related factors, influences the self-perceived burden of diabetes among the growing homebound population of older women.

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