Elder Law FAX -- August 22, 2005

Arthritis and Obesity Increasingly Threaten Aging Baby Boomers' Well Being
Three chronic diseases account for 60 percent of all deaths among Americans aged 65 and older: heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Altogether, chronic diseases account for seven of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States, including the three leading causes of preventable death (tobacco use, improper diet, and physical inactivity, and alcohol use), and for about 75 percent of health care costs.

What is the leading cause of disability in the United States? It is arthritis, another chronic disease which limits daily activities for more than seven million Americans. The prevalence of arthritis-related disability is also expected to rise by the year 2020, when an estimated 11.6 million people will be affected.

Arthritis affects nearly one of every six Americans, making it one of the most common diseases in the United States. The rise in obesity among middle-aged Americans will place greater stresses on the joints of the baby boomers as they age. By the year 2020, an estimated 60 million people will be affected. While all Americans are at risk of arthritis, the prevalence of this disease is higher among women than men.

Obesity and Arthritis in Baby Boomers
Baby boomers have spent more years living with more obesity than the previous generation, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have found. Although it may be too early to tell whether this will lead to a rise in arthritis rates, the study shows more obesity-related arthritis among baby boomers compared to the previous generation.

The study, published in the September 2005 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, concluded that obesity rates grew substantially for the baby-boomer generation (born 1946-1965) when compared to the "silent generation" (born 1926-1945). Obesity also increased for the baby boomers at a younger age than the silent generation.

Arthritis risk soared along with the obesity rates of the baby boomers, and arthritis cases attributed to obesity rose from 3 percent to 18 percent between 1971 and 2002. Many factors can be attributed to this rise, including the way physicians diagnose arthritis over time, but researchers say the rise in obesity cannot be ignored.

In 1971, obese people were approximately 20 percent more likely to develop arthritis than those who weren't overweight. In 2002, that number jumped to 60 percent.

"We found that the obesity epidemic has affected both the baby-boomers and their predecessors but that the baby boomers got a much earlier start, and have spent more of their lives in an obese state even though we've known that they have had better access to nutrition and information about exercise for much of their lives," says Suzanne Leveille, PhD, senior author of the study.

"Baby boomers are just approaching the age when arthritis rates begin to rise dramatically. Many baby-boomers have lived with obesity for much of their lives. We can expect to see the health and functional consequences of this epidemic in the coming decades," says Leveille.

What Does This Mean for Our Aging Population?
While more research is needed to pinpoint the significance of obesity on a large, aging population, there are some areas of concern that warrant further discussion, says the Arthritis Foundation.

Because of the obvious health risks of obesity, which include a higher incidences of heart disease and diabetes in addition to arthritis, obese people have a six to seven-year shortened life expectancy as compared to people of a normal weight.

As the numbers of baby boomers with arthritis increases, the financial costs of missed work days and increased doctor visits may mean a rise in the cost of insurance, taxes, services or goods to everyone.

Both obesity and arthritis are especially limiting conditions. Both affect mobility. The double whammy of arthritis and obesity in a large population, such as the baby boomers, could mean an increase in the number of aging people who aren't able to participate in the workforce, drive a car or even take care of every day tasks, such as house cleaning, bathing or getting dressed.

Obesity is preventable and controllable. "Public health strategies to address obesity and arthritis management could have a major impact on the lives of aging baby-boomers in the years to come," says Leveille.

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