Centre for Policy on Ageing



Obesity's effects on the onset of functional impairment among older adults
Author(s)	Kristi Rahrig Jenkins
Journal title	The Gerontologist, vol 44, no 2, April 2004
Pages	pp 206-216
Source	http://www.geron.org
Keywords	Obesity ; Mobility ; Self care capacity ; Ill health ; Longitudinal surveys ; United States of America.
Annotation	Using longitudinal data from the US Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) survey, this study determines whether there is a relationship between body weight and the onset of functional impairment across time in this sample of older people. The study also explores how health behaviours and health conditions may explain the relationship between body weight and the onset of functional impairment. 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 behaviours and health conditions, obesity has an independent effect on the onset of impairment in strength, lower body mobility, and activities of daily living (ADLs). These findings support the active treatment of weight problems in older people, along with research on effective weight management interventions for this population. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-040726207 A
Classmark	CSA: C4: CA: CH: 3J: 7T
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.