Obesity and health complications in elderly populations

Obesity in Elderly

Obesity is a medical condition in which the individual has a lot more weight than what is considered to be normal for his or her age and height. It is an excess accumulation of body fat that is known to cause many serious diseases like organ failures and immobility which in turn reduces life expectancy. Obesity is calculated using a measure called Body Mass Index (BMI) that gives the individual's weight to height ratio. A BMI of less than 25 kg/m2 is normal, 25 kg/m2 to 30 kg/m2 is overweight and a BMI of more than 30 kg/m2 is obese.

Obesity is a very common problem in many countries and one of the contributing factors to this problem is a sedentary lifestyle. Another factor is unhealthy food choices that is made by people. These two factors are the well-established factors for obesity among people of all ages. However, the most affected group is the elderly population. Nutrition and obesity are inter-twined and lack of proper nutrition is a major contributing factor for obesity. A change in diet can reduce the chances of obesity. The earlier the change is made, the better for the individual.

The obesity of the elderly people is like a time bomb that is ticking to blow the healthcare system into pieces. The prevalence of obesity in adults aged 60 and older is estimated to increase to 37% by 2010 and thus will affect over 20 million people in the United States. (Arterburn, 2004). Many adults become morbidly obese by the age of 80 and the primary reason attributed to this fact is that they enter their old age with a lot of body fat. Ages 70 to 79 is considered very crucial and most individuals accumulate lot of fat during this period.

Obesity is prevalent among all groups of white, white, black and Hispanics. In a study conducted by Bermudez and Tucker (2001) on the prevalence of obesity among elderly Hispanics, it was concluded that, "Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) was prevalent among all ethnic groups, ranging from 17% to 29% for Dominican and Puerto Rican men, respectively, and from 29% to 40% for non-Hispanic white and Dominican women, respectively." This study goes to show that the differences based on gender and ethnicity is not very substantial and it is a common problem that is likely to complicate in the future. In fact, this trend exists not only in the U.S. across all sections of people, but also around the world.

Medical problems

With obesity, comes a whole lot of medical problems for the elderly. It drastically reduces their quality of life, making them less mobile and more disease-prone. According to Kimmon (2004, p.1), "Obesity in the elderly is clearly associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, lipid abnormalities, osteoarthritis and some cancers."

Obesity can also have a profound impact on the mental health of patients. It can lead to the loss of self-confidence and over a period of time, it increase the possibility of depression in elderly people who are obese. In a study conducted by Seale, Seale & Zhang (2008), they found many verbal and non-verbal cues among obese elders that pointed towards a lack of self-confidence and enthusiasm. "Verbal cues of emotional distress included expressions such as "I'm such a basket case," "what else is there to live for?" Non-verbal cues of emotional distress include depressed face, downward gaze, self-touching, drooping posture, and slowed speech (suggesting depression) or fidgety hands, darting eyes, and a still upper body (suggesting anxiety) (American Psychiatric Association 1994)." (Seale, Seale & Zhang 2008, p.424). Latest studies have also linked obesity with other mental illness like Alzheimer, Schizophrenia and other retardation diseases.

It also severely affects the mobility of individuals. In a study conducted by Sharkey, Ory & Branch (2006), the Lower Extremity Physical Performance (LEP) was measured among individuals who had a BMI of more than 30kg.m2. The LEP were timed tests that assess the balance, gait and strength of individuals. Morbidly obese individuals fared poorly in these tests and it was concluded that obesity had a profound impact on their mobility. "Considering the predictive ability of LEP for subsequent falls, increased disability, repeated hospitalizations, nursing home placement, and mortality, the findings of this study offer one explanation for reports that indicate that the burden of healthcare cost of obesity grows disproportionately with individuals who are most obese." (Sharkey, Ory & Branch. 2006, p.1412). This study reveals the seriousness of the issue and the need to do something about it. Unfortunately, the present healthcare system is not geared to take these challenges.

Future

A lot of revamping has to be done to meet this increased need of obese elderly and this has to be done fast. The numbers are increasing by the day and unless some initiatives are taken right away, it can blow up into a full-fledged catastrophe in the future. The first and foremost step that is required is to change the present healthcare system to make it more effective and efficient. Changes have to be made in the delivery of service as well as payments to make it more accessible to the elderly.

Another important step is to encourage more and more people to study geriatrics to fill the gap that has arisen due to the aging population. Incentives and subsidies has to be given to attract young people to this field of study. Also, specialized training can be given to nurses who are likely to be involved in caring for elderly patients.

The next step is to create awareness among the public about the possible ways to care for the elderly people in the society. This can reduce the strain on long-term caring facilities and nursing homes. If more and more people can take care of their aging parents, relatives and friends, this will help to ease the over-clogged system to make room for the most needy.

The most important step that has to be taken is to educate the people in their 30s and 40s about the possible effects of obesity. The Government and other local agencies can encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes healthy food choices and regular physical activity that will help to keep obesity at bay.

The approach taken by caregivers currently must also undergo some changes. The primary focus of caregivers must be to work on the dietary changes of patients. Rotkoff (1999) mentions a case study in which the caregivers had a lot of problems to teach an obese woman to adhere to her dietary modifications. More and more people must take this approach, preferably as early as possible to keep obesity rates low.

These are some of the ways to counter this chronic disease that is spreading among the elderly like a wild fire. These steps will also help to make it easier to care for the elderly, especially those who are obese.