Americans in their 60s are living with more disabilities than did their
cohorts from previous generations. And that could overwhelm the country's
health care system, according to a study published online Nov. 12 by the
American Journal of Public Health
(ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/AJPH.2008.157388v1/).
The authors compared two National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
data sets, for 1988-1994 and for 1999-2004, to examine disabilities for
adults age 60 to 69, 70 to 79, and 80 and older.
All age groups reported significant declines in physical activity. But the
youngest group had the greatest increase in reported disabilities.
The authors assessed the disability trends of 8,927 individuals based on
their responses to questions addressing four areas: basic activities of
daily life (including getting out of bed); instrumental activities
(including household chores); mobility (including climbing 10 steps without
stopping) and functional limitations (including kneeling).
The study also found that body mass index increased significantly from the
earlier data set to the most recent, as did the number of participants who
met criteria for obesity.
Although all age groups reported more obesity, the most striking increase
was among people in their 60s, for whom prevalence of obesity rose from
27.4% in 1988-1994 to 37.6% for 1999-2004.
The authors said the growth in obesity prevalence, and its increasingly
early onset, likely contributed to the significant rise in reported
disabilities among those in their 60s.
Arun S. Karlamangla, MD, PhD, one of the study's authors, said it's not too
late for people in that age group to improve their lifestyles.
"If one can reverse obesity, then one can probably reverse the disability
issues," said Dr. Karlamangla, an associate professor of medicine at the
University of California, Los Angeles, Dept. of Medicine. "Doctors have to
be more vigilant in respect to obesity and people who are overweight in
their 40s, 50s, and 60s."
He suggested physicians teach overweight and obese patients how to
incorporate more activity into their daily lives.
"If we can [stop] this increasing level of obesity, we might be able to
reduce the trend [of increasing disabilities at younger ages], flatten it
or even reverse it," Dr. Karlamangla said.
The full and original article can be found here:
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/12/07/prsd1209.htm
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