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April 29 - Moderately to Severely Obese Elders Run Significant Risk of Disability and Dependence on Long-Term Care Services

Among the growing number of obese older adults, those who are moderately and severely obese, but not those who are mildly obese, run a significantly increased risk of having disabilities serious enough to need long-term care, according to a study that will be presented at the American Geriatrics Society's annual scientific meeting on May 1.

Since the 1980s, rates of obesity among older adults have been rising dramatically. Obesity can boost risks of numerous health problems, including high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

To determine how rising obesity rates among older adults affect the risk of disability and demand for long-term care services, researchers at Purdue University studied more than 4,600 older adults. The adults, whose average age was 76, lived in the community, rather than in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Of the adults, 39% were normal weight, 39% were overweight, 15% were mildly obese, and 6% were moderately to severely obese. (The study excluded underweight older adults, who, research has found, also run increased risks of certain health problems).

Among the older adults, those who were moderately and severely obese were significantly more likely than those of normal weight to have difficulty carrying out activities of daily living such as feeding themselves, dressing, getting into or out of a bed or chair, bathing, or using the toilet, the researchers found. People who can't carry out these everyday activities independently typically need personal care or other long-term care services. In fact, 33% of the moderately or severely obese seniors in the study reported using either paid or unpaid personal care services.

Older adults in the study who were mildly obese or overweight, however, were not significantly more likely than normal weight peers to have difficulty with activities of daily living. Only 22% of the mildly obese and 20% of the overweight seniors used personal care services.

"We expected a higher rate of [activities of daily living] disability among [all] obesity categories but found that only the moderately to severely obese respondents were at significantly higher risk of this," says lead researcher Laura P. Sands, PhD, a professor of nursing at Purdue. "These findings suggest that most obesity-related increases in need for long-term care in the coming decade will be attributable to moderate to extreme obesity."

Source: Purdue University

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