Overweight Baby Boomers at Risk of a Poor Quality of Life, Later

Introduction

About 108 million adults in the USA are overweight or obese. We know that being overweight is associated with a shortened life expectancy (see first link below). Now a study has been published in the Archives of Internal Medicine which shows that survivors have a decreased health-related quality of life. This provides another impetus – as if it were needed – for people to try and control their weight.

What was done

Over 6,500 adults aged 36 to 64 who were enrolled in the Chicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry were selected for this study. Their body mass index (BMI) in middle age was compared with their subsequent physical, mental, and social well-being. Those who had had a heart attack or diabetes were excluded, as well as those who were underweight at baseline (i.e. a BMI at or below 18.5).

The BMI of all participants was calculated from measurements of height and weight at baseline.¹ Other examinations included blood pressure and serum cholesterol measurements, an ECG, and a questionnaire covering cardiovascular and diabetic symptoms. Participants were grouped according to their BMIs: normal = 18.5 to 25; overweight = 25 to 30; obese class 1 = 30 to 35; and obese class 2 = over 35.

In 1996 – about 25 years later – a comprehensive health survey was mailed to all survivors of the original group. It included a self-reported Health Status Questionnaire (HSQ-12) designed to measure the quality of life in older individuals. Items covered include health perception, physical functioning, pain, energy/fatigue, social functioning, emotional problems, and mental health. The analysis performed on follow-up 25 years after baseline compared the scores on the HSQ-12 in the different BMI groups.

What was found

To avoid bias, the HSQ-12 scores were adjusted to compensate for any cardiovascular disease risk factors (such as smoking or high blood pressure), and for the person’s age in 1996.

The average adjusted HSQ-12 scores for each BMI group were as follows:

It can be seen that, in both women and men, the quality of life scores were reduced in the overweight, and further reduced in the obese participants. The differences between weight groups were statistically significant (i.e. they could not have occurred by chance alone).

In an additional analysis, it was found that the percentage of persons reporting excellent or very good health for these three groups were 47% vs. 38% vs. 24% for women, and 54% vs. 49% vs. 37% for men. Clearly, overweight and obesity were associated with a lessening in good health.

What this means

This study shows a higher BMI in middle life is linked to a poorer quality of life in older age. Young people always believe they are immortal. But baby boomers would do well to heed the results of this study, even if they cling to the idea of living to 100. After all, a long life is not much fun if its quality is poor.

Source

• Body mass index in middle age and health-related quality of life in older age. ML. ;Daviglus, K. ;Liu, LL. ;Yan, ;et al., Arch Intern Med, 2004, vol. ;163, pp. ;2448–2455

Source : http://www.healthandage.com