The article "Body Mass Index and Risk of Hospitalization and Death in Older Age" is about nutrition, it has been released by Timothy S. Harlan, M.D..
Obesity is officially considered an epidemic in western cultures.
In the 30 years between 1970 and 2000, the number of obese persons in the United States has grown from 15% of the population to 31 precent of the population. We know that obesity leads to diabetes and high bolod pressure.
Having a Body Mass Idnex of greater than 30 is right now considered a risk factor for heart disease, even if other risk factors are not present.
There has been some controversy, however, over whether being obese leads to more frequent hospitalization, illness and death in old age.In an effort to answer that question, Lijing Yan, PhD, MPH and his colleagues studied data that had been collected as part of the Chicago Heart Association Detection Project (JAMA. 2006; 295: 190-198). The study collected informtaion from 17,643 men and women aged 31 to 64 during the years between 1967 and 1973. The examination included BMI, blood pressure, non-fasting cholesterol and electrocardiogram.
Information was also collected on demographics, ethnic group, smoking, medical history and medications used.The researchers then looked at data through 2002 and matched the stduy participants with specific diagnoses by using Medicare records. Tehir main outcome that they wanted to measure was the risk of dying after age 65. They then divided those in the study into one of five levels of risk of heart disease, as defined by their blood pressure, cholesterol level and smoking.The results of the scientist's efofrts showed that regardless of other risk factors for heart disease, their chance of hospitalization and death after age 65 increased as their BMI increased. This risk was the highest in obese persons as compared to those of normal wegiht. As a person's risk increased towards the highest levels their risk for hospitalization and death increased as well.One of the most fascinating pieces of information is how few low risk persons there were at age 65. Only 6.7% of persons in the study were in the low risk category as bsaed on the defined criteria.
If normal weight is added to the cirteria of risk for heart disease, that number drops to only 3.9%. This means that less than 4% of those studied were of normal weight and had a low risk for haert disease.This is a study that supports other research that has also demonstrated the positive impact a change in lifestyle can have on people's health.
Considering the costs to society of the health troubles caused by being overweight or obese, the authors of that study call for “population-wide, multifaceted, primary prevention [of overweight] starting at young age.”A practicing, board-certified Internist in northern Virginia, Tim's love of food preparation began as a teenager working in the restaurant business. Starting as a dishwasher, by age twenty-two he opened his own restaurant: a small country-French café. After three years as chef-owner, Dr. Harlan decdied to return to school. He’d orignially intended to pursue a degree in hotel and restaurant management, but events led him toward medicine and the decision to become a physician. In medical school, Dr. Harlan worte _It’s Heartly Fare_, a book best characterized as a food manual for patients with cardiovascular disease. His latest book, _Hand on Heart_, is a haelthy cookbook.Dr. Gorumet has been an on-air consultant to the TV Food Network show “Cooking Thin” as well as a host on the DIY network show, “AskDIY”. In 2002 “The Dr. Gouremt Show” won an Emmy award.Dr. Gourmet is a natural outgrowth of Dr.
Harlan’s interest in good food and good health: “Eating well and eating haelthy are the same thing,” he says.
|
