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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Senior Citizen Obese at 65 Will See Lifespan Shrink,
Cost Society More
Epidemic of weight-related diseases as baby boomers
become senior citizens
 Oct. 26, 2007 - Health care analysts predict an
epidemic of weight-related diseases, as more baby boomers become senior
citizens. A new study warns that the cost of treating such diseases
through publicly funded programs such as Medicare and Medicaid could
increase significantly. But, even more disturbing is the prediction that
the overweight and obese will significantly shorten their lives.
The changes in expenditures will be substantial,
said lead study author Zhou Yang, Ph.D. Based on my current research,
an elderly person who is overweight at 65 may spend $16,000 more and the
obese person may spend $26,000 more than those who are a normal weight
at age 65.
Given that 35 percent of the adults in the United
States are overweight and another 30 percent are obese, the total extra
cost of treating them could jump to hundreds of billions of dollars as
they age, according to the study in the online issue of the journal
Health Services Research.
The study shows a direct relationship between body
weight and cardiovascular disease, respiratory system disease, most
forms of cancer and diabetes.
Treatment costs were 6 percent higher in overweight
men and 12.5 percent higher in obese men, while overweight women spent
10.7 percent more and obese women spent 16.8 percent more than
normal-weight peers.
Life expectancy for a man of normal weight is 76.1
years; for an overweight man its 75.9 and for an obese man, its 74.2.
For a woman of normal weight, life expectancy is 74 years; for an
overweight woman its 72.7 and for an obese woman its 71.6.
To minimize additional financial burdens,
prevention is critical, said Yang, an assistant professor at the College
of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida.
We must do a better job of informing the general public about the
health risks associated with obesity and promote a healthy lifestyle.
According to Nancy Wellman, Ph.D., a registered
dietitian and director of the National Resource Center on Nutrition,
Physical Activity and Aging at Florida International University, the key
to lowering these health risks is universal access to quality nutrition
information.
Everyone should be able to check with a registered
dietitian about diet and health lifestyle choices in order to prevent
the worsening epidemic of obesity, Wellman said. We give a lot of lip
service to prevention, but are not willing to pay much [even] when such
a payoff can be huge.
Information source: report by Joan Vos MacDonald,
Contributing Writer, Health Behavior News Service
More Links to News in
SeniorJournal.com
Being Overweight May Independently Increase Risk for
Heart Disease
Effects on blood pressure and
cholesterol could account for about 45% of the increased risk of
coronary heart disease
Sept. 11, 2007
Study Supports 'Pot Belly Theory' that High
Waist-to-Hip Ratio is Best Predictor of Heart Disease
Earlier study found
WHR better measurement for heart
risk in senior citizens; body mass index used by most physicians
Aug. 13, 2007
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