Obesity Increases Costs With Productivity Loss Due to Disability Retirements, Independent of Physical Activity

Abstract

Objective: Investigate whether obesity is responsible for costs due to productivity loss (PL) in adults, during 30 months of follow-up. Methods: Absenteeism and disability retirement were considered as PL. For classification of obesity, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) values were considered. The statistical software BioEstat (release 5.0) was used and the significance level was set at P value < 0.05. Results: For the men, BMI and WC accounted for ∼60% and ∼30% of retirement due to disability (P = 0.001). For the women, this percentage represented ∼19% for BMI and ∼8% for WC, both P < 0.05. Physical activity was not a significant confounder in any of the analyses (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Total and abdominal obesity were responsible for increased costs from PL due to early retirement among adults aged 50 years or older.

Sarcopenia, obesity and sarcopenic obesity among community-dwelling and institutionalized female older woman in Caxias do Sul, Brazil

“…The lean mass reduction is an increasing issue among this population group 2 . Sarcopenia is related to loss of mobility and dysfunction in individuals over 80, but, the weight and fat level in the body also influence a decrease in mobility, speed, and performance in daily tasks 8,40 . According to the study, representative obesity values were responsible for 19.0% and 8.0% of productivity loss and retirement by disability, respectively 8 .…”

“…Sarcopenia is related to loss of mobility and dysfunction in individuals over 80, but, the weight and fat level in the body also influence a decrease in mobility, speed, and performance in daily tasks 8,40 . According to the study, representative obesity values were responsible for 19.0% and 8.0% of productivity loss and retirement by disability, respectively 8 . This study has some limitations, as the analysis is cross-sectional, and therefore it is not possible to establish a mechanism of cause and effect between the associations.…”

“…Due to the aging process and its health consequences 3 , in addition to the potential risks of obesity 4,5 , a condition has been studied, which involves the encounter of two epidemics, sarcopenia together with the presence of obesity, called sarcopenic obesity 6 . Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are considered health risk factors, especially among the elderly, since they increase the risk of falls, impairs the overall ability to perform activities of daily living, and are also related to heart diseases, independence reduction, and necessity of functional and health care, as well as death [7][8][9] . Furthermore, sarcopenia and obesity increase the risks and the costs of hospitalization 8 .…”

“…Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are considered health risk factors, especially among the elderly, since they increase the risk of falls, impairs the overall ability to perform activities of daily living, and are also related to heart diseases, independence reduction, and necessity of functional and health care, as well as death [7][8][9] . Furthermore, sarcopenia and obesity increase the risks and the costs of hospitalization 8 . Moreover, sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity may cause or aggravate the reduction of the elderly functional capacity 8 .…”

“…Furthermore, sarcopenia and obesity increase the risks and the costs of hospitalization 8 . Moreover, sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity may cause or aggravate the reduction of the elderly functional capacity 8 .…”