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Veterans
more overweight
than general population
Military service veterans
are likely to gain weight as they age,
according to a study
conducted at 136 U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. In
fact, the percentage of those classified as obese is larger than
that among the general population.
In
2000, height and weight were measured for 1,803,323 veterans
receiving outpatient care. This data was combined with demographic
information to obtain age-adjusted body mass index (BMI) levels.
Participants were classified as overweight (25 to 29 BMI), obese (30
to 39 BMI) and class-III obese (40 BMI or higher).
Among
the 93,290 women measured, 68.4% were overweight, 37.4% were obese
and 6% were class-III obese. The prevalence of obesity in women
increased in their 60s and 70s, then declined. The 1,710,032 men
were classified as 73% overweight, 32.9% obese and 3.3% class-III
obese. Men under 30 years old or over 70 years old had the lowest
prevalence of obesity. Overall, Native American men (35.1%) and
women (40.7%) had the highest rates of obesity, and Asian-American
men (20.6%) and women (12.8%) had the lowest.
While
the cause for these high levels is not known, "Veterans who use VA
facilities differ from the general population
…being
older, poorer and less educated, which are factors that may
contribute to their risk for obesity," said Linda Kinsinger, M.D.,
M.P.H., one of the study authors. These veterans also tend to have a
variety of illnesses, and obesity may be "both a risk factor for,
and also a consequence of, chronic illnesses and their treatment."
Researchers concluded that these high levels of obesity indicate the
need for a comprehensive weight management program. |
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