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Bei Wu, PhD and Liang Wei, MPH. West Virginia University, Center on Aging, P.O.Box 9127, Morgantown, WV 26506, 304-293-5206, bwu@hsc.wvu.edu

Obesity is a serious public health concern in the U.S. On the other hand, the number of individuals with functional limitations grows as life expectancy in the nation increases. Only limited studies have examined the effect of obesity on the onset of functional limitation, but very few have examined its impact across various racial/ethnic groups. Our study used nationally representative longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine the impact of obesity on the onset rates of self-reported functional impairment. For the purpose of this study, we selected 9,604 respondents aged 51 to 61 with no functional limitations at baseline in 1992. Six waves of HRS (1992-2002) were used in the analysis. Body Mass Index was the measure of obesity and overweight. Twelve logistic regression models were conducted for four domains of functional impairment among black, Hispanic, and white population groups: lower body, upper body, strength, and activities of daily living (ADL). The study found that, while controlling for other variables such as sociodemographics, health behaviors (e.g., physical activity, smoking, and drinking), and medical conditions, obesity was a strong predictor on all four domains of functional impairment for white respondents. For blacks and Hispanics, obesity or overweight had a causal effect on disability of the lower body and ADL, but not for other two domains (upper body and strength). The significant causal relationship between obesity and disability across racial/ethnic groups reinforced the importance of weight control for prevention and reducing the risk of functional disability.

Learning Objectives:

• To investigate the factors that predict the onset of functional disability among community-dwelling young-old blacks, Hispanics, and whites.
• To investigate whether obesity and overweight are independent predictors for the onset of functional disability among community-dwelling young-old blacks, Hispanics, and whites.

Keywords: Aging, Obesity

Awards: Betty J. Cleckley Minority Issues Research Award - Honorable Mention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered