DOC News October 1, 2004
Volume 1 Number 2 p. 23
© 2004 American Diabetes Association
Adult Obesity and Disability Burden
The prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly in young adults.
Researchers recently concluded a long-term study to evaluate the prevalence of
disability throughout life and life expectancy free of disability in patients
who are obese at 30–49 years of age.
A group of investigators at Central and Eastern Clinical School in
Victoria, Australia, studied 3,521 original subjects and 3,013 offspring in
the Framingham Heart Study. Participants were 30–49 years old and
classified as normal weight, overweight, or obese at the beginning of the
study. Participants had follow-up at 20 years and at up to 46 years. The
original group was measured by the odds of disability and estimated life
expectancy with and without disability from age 50. Disability measures used
were limitations of mobility only, and limitations of activities of daily
living (ADLs).
Investigators observed that participants had a twofold increase in the odds
of limitations of ADLs when evaluated 46 years later. Nonsmoking adults who
were obese between 30 and 49 years lived fewer years free of limitations on
ADLs from age 50 than did their normal-weight counterparts. There was no
significant difference in the total number of years living with disability
throughout life between those obese or those of normal weight.
Researchers concluded that obesity in adulthood is associated with
increased risk of disability throughout life and a reduction in the length of
time spent free of disability, but no substantial change in the length of time
spent with disability.
Peeters A, Bonneux L, Nusselder WJ, De Laet C, Barendrest
JJ: Adult obesity and the burden of disability throughout life.
Obes Res 12:1145–1151, 2004.[Medline]
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