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Being Overweight (being + overweight)
Selected AbstractsWeight, Mortality, Years of Healthy Life, and Active Life Expectancy in Older AdultsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 1 2008Paula Diehr PhD OBJECTIVES: To determine whether weight categories predict subsequent mortality and morbidity in older adults. DESIGN: Multistate life tables, using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, a longitudinal population-based cohort of older adults. SETTING: Data were provided by community-dwelling seniors in four U.S. counties: Forsyth County, North Carolina; Sacramento County, California; Washington County, Maryland; and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: Five thousand eight hundred eighty-eight adults aged 65 and older at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: The age- and sex-specific probabilities of transition from one health state to another and from one weight category to another were estimated. From these probabilities, future life expectancy, years of healthy life, active life expectancy, and the number of years spent in each weight and health category after age 65 were estimated. RESULTS: Women who are healthy and of normal weight at age 65 have a life expectancy of 22.1 years. Of that, they spend, on average, 9.6 years as overweight or obese and 5.3 years in fair or poor health. For both men and women, being underweight at age 65 was associated with worse outcomes than being normal weight, whereas being overweight or obese was rarely associated with worse outcomes than being normal weight and was sometimes associated with significantly better outcomes. CONCLUSION: Similar to middle-aged populations, older adults are likely to be or to become overweight or obese, but higher weight is not associated with worse health in this age group. Thus, the number of older adults at a "healthy" weight may be much higher than currently believed. [source] Effect of being overweight on postoperative morbidity and long-term surgical outcomes in proximal gastric carcinoma,JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Sung Jin Oh Abstract Background and Aim:, The prevalence of being overweight has risen remarkably in Korea. This study sought to clarify the relationship between being overweight and surgical outcomes in gastric cancer patients. Methods:, A total of 410 patients who underwent curative total gastrectomies with D2 dissection from January 2000 to December 2003 were retrospectively studied from a prospectively designed database. The patients were assigned to two groups based upon their body mass index (BMI): non-overweight, BMI < 25 kg/m2; overweight, BMI , 25 kg/m2. Perioperative surgical outcomes, postoperative morbidity, mortality, recurrence, and prognosis were analyzed. Results:, The overweight group had longer operation time and more postoperative complications than the non-overweight group. The two groups were similar in terms of transfusion volumes, postoperative bowel movement, time to initiation of a soft diet, and postoperative hospital stay. Patterns of recurrence and cumulative survival rates were similar for each group. Multivariate analysis showed that being overweight was not a risk factor for recurrence or poor prognosis. Conclusion:, Although being overweight was associated with increased operation time and higher risk of complications in gastric cancer patients undergoing curative total gastrectomy, it had no effect on recurrence or long-term survival. [source] Weight status, energy-balance behaviours and intentions in 9,12-year-old inner-city childrenJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 1 2010W. Jansen Abstract Background:, Dutch youth health care promotes four so-called energy-balance behaviours for the prevention of obesity: increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviour and sugar-containing drinks, and eating breakfast. However, data on the prevalence of these behaviours and intentions to engage in them among primary schoolchildren is limited, especially for multi-ethnic, inner-city populations. The present study aimed to provide these data and explore differences according to socio-demographic characteristics and weight status. Methods:, Data on behaviours and accompanying intentions were collected using classroom questionnaires. Stature and body weight were measured by trained staff. Twenty primary schools in Rotterdam participated. Data on 1095 9,12 year olds (81.7% response rate) were available for analysis. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between behaviours (favourable or unfavourable), intentions (positive or not), gender, age, ethnicity, neighbourhood income level and weight status. Results:, The prevalence of being overweight was 30.4%, including 9.0% obesity. Engagement in energy-balance behaviours varied from 58.6% for outdoor play (>1 h previous day) to 85.9% for active transportation to school (day of survey). The highest positive intentions were reported for taking part in sports (83.9%), and lowest for reducing computer time (41.3%). Small differences in behaviours and intentions according to socio-demographic characteristics were found, most notably a lower engagement in physical activity by girls. Skipping breakfast and total number of energy-balance behaviours were associated with being overweight. Conclusions:, The prevalence of being overweight among Dutch inner-city schoolchildren is high. A general rather than a differentiated approach is needed to improve engagement in energy-balance behaviours among inner-city schoolchildren. [source] Parent Reactions to a School-Based Body Mass Index Screening ProgramJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 5 2009Suzanne Bennett Johnson PhD ABSTRACT Background:, This study assessed parent reactions to school-based body mass index (BMI) screening. Methods:, After a K-8 BMI screening program, parents were sent a letter detailing their child's BMI results. Approximately 50 parents were randomly selected for interview from each of 4 child weight,classification groups (overweight, at risk of overweight, normal weight, underweight) to assess parent recall of the letter, reactions to BMI screening, and actions taken in response to the child's BMI results. Results:, Most parents found the BMI screening letter easy to read and had poor recall of numerical information (eg, the child's BMI percentile) but good recall of the child's weight classification (eg, normal weight or overweight). Most parents, and ethnic-minority parents in particular, supported school-based BMI screening. Parents of children whose weight was outside of the normal range were more likely to recall receiving the letter and talking to the child and the child's doctor about it. Parents who recalled their child as being overweight were more likely to report changing the child's diet and activity level. Most parents, and ethnic-minority parents in particular, wanted their child to participate in an after-school exercise program. An overweight condition in parents, but not children, was associated with an interest in family-based cooking and exercise classes. Conclusions:, Most parents, and ethnic-minority parents in particular, viewed school-based BMI screening and after-school exercise programs favorably. Parents reported taking action in response to a BMI result outside of the normal range. Parents who were overweight themselves were particularly interested in family cooking and exercise classes. [source] Systematic review: the epidemiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in primary care, using the UK General Practice Research DatabaseALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2009H. EL-SERAG Summary Background, Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common diagnosis in primary care; however, there has been no comprehensive review of the epidemiology of GERD in this setting. Aim, To review systematically articles that used the General Practice Research Database to study the epidemiology of GERD. Methods, Systematic literature searches. Results, Seventeen articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The incidence of GERD in primary care was 4.5 new diagnoses per 1000 person-years in 1996 (95% CI: 4.4,4.7). A new diagnosis of GERD was associated with being overweight, obese or an ex-smoker. Prior diagnoses of ischaemic heart disease, peptic ulcer disease, nonspecific chest pain, nonspecific abdominal pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma were associated with a subsequent new GERD diagnosis. A first diagnosis of GERD was associated with an increased risk of a subsequent diagnosis of oesophageal adenocarcinoma, oesophageal stricture, chronic cough, sinusitis, chest pain, angina, gallbladder disease, irritable bowel syndrome or sleep problems. Mortality may be higher in patients with a GERD diagnosis than in those without in the first year after diagnosis, but not long term. Conclusion, The General Practice Research Database is an effective way of studying the epidemiology of GERD in a large population-based primary care setting. [source] | ||||||||||