Obesity's Effects on the Onset of Functional Impairment Among Older Adults

Purpose: This study has two purposes. First, it determines if there is a relationship between body weight and the onset of functional impairment across time among this sample of older adults. More specifically, it examines if obese older adults are more likely to experience the onset of functional i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Gerontologist 2004-04, Vol.44 (2), p.206-216
Main Author: Jenkins, Kristi Rahrig
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activities of Daily Living
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Behavior
Body Weight
Chronic Disease - epidemiology
Disabled Persons - statistics & numerical data
Exercise
Female
Functional impairment
Health Behavior
Health Conditions
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Medical disorders
Motor Activity - physiology
Movement - physiology
Obesity
Obesity - complications
Obesity - epidemiology
Obesity - physiopathology
Older Adults
Older people
Overweight
Risk-Taking
United States - epidemiology
Weight
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Summary:Purpose: This study has two purposes. First, it determines if there is a relationship between body weight and the onset of functional impairment across time among this sample of older adults. More specifically, it examines if obese older adults are more likely to experience the onset of functional impairment. Second, it explores how health behaviors and health conditions may explain the relationship between body weight and the onset of functional impairment. Design and Methods: With the use of longitudinal data from the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) survey, logistic regression models on the onset of functional impairment over two time points are estimated for older adults. Results: Results indicate that body weight (more specifically being overweight or obese) makes one more likely to experience the onset of functional impairment across various domains of impairment. Outside of health behaviors and health conditions, obesity has an independent effect on the onset of impairment in strength, lower body mobility, and activities of daily living. Implications: Study findings support the active treatment of weight problems in older adults. Future directions for research in this area should address effective weight management interventions targeting issues related to older individuals.
ISSN:0016-9013
1758-5341
DOI:10.1093/geront/44.2.206