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Regardless of lifestyle and other health-related factors, heavier people were more likely than lean ones to be hospitalized for a variety of conditions, according to an Australian study.
What's more, this was the case not just for obese people but also for those who were merely overweight as well, the researchers wrote in the International Journal of Obesity.
Among middle-aged adults, researchers found that every extra body mass index (BMI) point - equal to about 2.7 to 3.2 kilograms (six or seven lbs) - was tied to a four percent higher chance of being admitted to the hospital over a two-year period.
"There is considerable evidence that severe obesity is bad for your health, resulting in higher rates of disease and consequently higher use of health services and higher death rates," said lead author Rosemary Korda, from the Australian National University in Canberra.
"What this study shows is that there is a gradual increase in risk of hospitalization as BMI increases, starting with people in the overweight range. In other words, even being overweight (but not obese) increases your risk."
Korda and her colleagues recruited close to 250,000 people aged 45 and above from New South Wales. After surveying them about their height, weight and other health and lifestyle issues, the researchers tracked participants through hospital data.
Over the next two years, they had more than 61,000 total hospitalizations lasting at least one night.
Korda's team found that among people considered in the normal range for BMI, there were 120 hospitalizations for every 1,000 men and 102 per 1,000 women each year. For those considered severely obese, on the other hand, there were 203 hospitalizations for every 1,000 men and 183 per 1,000 women, on average.
Overweight and moderately obese people had hospitalization rates somewhere in between.
A BMI of 25 to 30 is classified as overweight, while obese is from 30 on up.
That pattern held up even after taking into account whether participants smoked, how physically active they were and their general health at the start of the study.
Extra weight seemed especially to play a role in people's chances of being hospitalized for diabetes, heart disease, chest pain, arthritis and asthma, the researchers reported.
"Extending the research to overweight individuals... is a unique contribution," said Robert Klesges, a preventive medicine researcher from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.
"Basically it tells tens of millions of Americans that, 'you are now at risk'," added Klesges, who wasn't involved in the study.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just under 36 percent of American adults are obese. Another 33 percent are overweight.
"While increasing weight leads to increasing risk, this also means that a gradual decrease in weight is likely to gradually decrease your risk - ie, if you are overweight or obese, even small decreases in weight may make a positive difference to your health," said Korda.
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Leave a Comment:
I recently moved from a place that had a lot of pollution to a place that has a lot less. I notice I get out more to walk and can breathe better. There are also more places to walk such as public parks. The health of the nation could be helped a great deal by reductions in pollution.
I notice also that if a hybrid or electric car goes by, I don't smell the stench. I wish all cars could be like this. I especially wish buses and trucks could be like this. When one is going out for an exercise walk, one needs to breathe.
If we want lower health costs, we need to do something about improving the environment.
I do not want to wait for 50 or so years to make fossil fuels obsolete. I'd rather wait less than five.
The story is about obesity and increased risk of hospitalization.
Americans have been in a state of denial about the dangers of obesity and the epidemic in the USA. Just yesterday in these forums people were claiming that being obese did not increase health care costs or health risks... again, in denial.
Open your eyes and start taking responsibility for what you eat America!
There is no excuse for being LAZY. Everyone complains that they have no time to exercise. Get up at 4am and run 5 miles. NO EXCUSES.
More tax dollars wasted to "discover" what was already obvious. Good thing the Australian suckers flipped the bill this time.
I think a few people may have missed what I was implying. I thought it was an obvious leap. If the conditions are bad, odds are that a person will end up overweight. To not be overweight, one needs proper diet and exercise; therefore one needs an atmosphere where they can do that. Our living spaces are not designed for exercise. Example: A lot of places do not even have sidewalks or safe places to walk. There are way too many processed foods. It is hard to find affordable healthy food.
I have been counting my blessings. There is a great farmer's market just a short bus ride from me. I can now get food that does not have bug spray or chemicals and is not laced with additives and preservatives. I did not have easy access to this before. I now have great places to walk and fresh air. Since these changes, I notice my extra weight getting lesser and my muscles getting greater. I am getting results.
My advice: If you live in an unhealthy area...move!
Funny, a few weeks ago their was an article about that overweight news lady. I commented on how being fit it not just better for yourself, but better for the public in terms of overal health of Americans. I had commented about how America has slipped and obesity has somehow become acceptable. I wonder where all the people who complained about my comments and said that they didn't have to "accept my standard" are now??
I still stand by my point, if your a fully functional adult with no disabilities or eating disordereds, you have ZERO excuse to be fat and overweight!!
The extra pounds is the manifestation of the underlying laziness which shouldn't be a shocker from yet another study. I'll continue to be the rude SOB who slams the airplane armrest down.
ok Historically our food habits changed after WWII and rationing of things like meat, sugar, and gas.
Post WWII we entered a period of plenty and that was first reflected by people having, wanting, being told they NEED more and believing it.
They ate more walked less and some things like the use of convenience foods became "proof" of affluence.
What we are talking about is getting back to a lifestyle closer to that of pre WWII. It is a mindset that embraces what we have been raised to believe is a lesser way to be.
I challenge the assumption that overweight people are all "lazy." It's true that most could do more exercise, but consider that it is harder to exercise when overweight or obese. I have often said that I am happy to jog a mile with anyone who want to go--only, they have to put on a 35-pound pack so that our weights are the same. We'll see who is more fit!
All you fat haters who see fat people as lazy, stupid gluttons ought to pay attention to your own life and stop passing judgment. I have been thin and I have been overweight--a few times each--and it is not easy to maintain a low weight once you have been overweight. Walk a mile (or jog!) in my shoes and you'll find out just how hard it is.
All it takes to stay healthy is a bit of self-control. It's actually much, much easier to maintain a healthy weight than it is to constantly yo-yo up and down, like you have.
JayEll -
I agree. While by today's standards, I am considered overweight, I challenge any of these 'physically fit' people to work in a shipyard during the heat of summer in the south. I wonder if they can climb the equivalent of 10 stories of ladders (stairs on board ships are called ladders and are steeper than regular stairs) without huffing and puffing while carrying tools and material? I have done this for the past 24 years and have been unable to lose excess weight regardless of whether I have cut calories or not.
Some people cannot exercise like others expect them to due to things like asthma and arthritis, and so they have a tendency to keep the excess weight.
It is much more important to live as healthy as possible, even if one does have 'extra pounds'.
Thanks, Tammy.
Some Guy, your comment shows that you have never had to lose a significant amount of weight and try to keep it off--OR, you have lost weight for the first time and now have maintained your weight for under two years. If it's the first, then you don't have any idea what you're talking about and should shut up. If it's the second, then more power to you, but hang on tight because it does not get easier.
I am not a constant yo-yo dieter. I had maintained a lower weight for years before beginning to slowly regain. Over 80% of people who lose a significant amount of weight regain it in 5 years. If it were as simple as losing the weight and then "eating less," then no one would have a weight problem!
I haven't given up, nor do I sit around eating donuts. I haven't eaten at McDonalds in many years. I have an excellent nutrition profile because my attempts to lose weight have taught me HOW to eat. Just out of the blue, I'd say my nutrition is better than that of most of the people posting here. And yet I slowly regain after I have lost weight, in spite of my efforts not to do so.
I may never be able to eat the way that "normal" people do--I may have to be constantly watching what I eat and cutting down, cutting down... And taking vitamins and supplements to offset the deficit, because when you diet to lose weight, you do not just lose fat--you lose muscle and bone mass as well. It's really a catch-22.
I lost 89 pounds over over the course of two years about 7 years ago. I've stayed within ~5 pounds of it ever since.
It is, mostly, that simple. Simplicity; however, doesn't imply ease, especially when faced with an eating disorder. There are glandular disorders that some may have, yourself included; however these disorders are rare, and are often used as an excuse by people who over-eat and don't realize it.
What's your caloric intake look like?
My calorie intake is 1500 calories a day, average. If I go above that, say, to 1600 cals, for any length of time I will gain.
What program did you use to lose that weight?
1300 Calories a day, Very low carbohydrate intake, but I cycled that every two weeks with 1 week of normal carbohydrate intake.
It thought I was going to die the first two weeks. But once the pounds started coming off, and I started exercising, the drive to see the number drop let me continue on with it.
Now a days, I eat between 1800 and 2200 calories, but I workout 2 hours a day, 5 days a week.
I think the title of this story = No S.h.i.t.
Anyone who didn't know that being overweight is almost never a good thing and increases likelihood of all kinds of diseases is just stupid... Also, BMI is a terrible way of judging peoples shape because it looks at nothing but the age, height, and weight of the person; it's not taking into account bady fat or muscle percentage.
They are starting.. They will start having articles like this so they can get us ready for the price of health insur. to go up for overweight people.. Problem is, they still go by the 1950 charts.. We are not built like back then. everyone is getting bigger.. it is a fact.. GET READY.. Obama will pay for his healthcare this way..
They really do need to keep people better informed about this and use actual bmi machines that measure by volume. I have a back injury that I received on the job and am not able to run at all and am lucky to walk enough to pick up a few groceries. My doctors put me on a 500 calorie/day diet with lots of liquids and fiber. This has helped me lose 27 lbs over the past two months along with some decent pain and diet drugs. Only 75 lbs more to lose and I will be in my proper weight range. Good luck to all with their workout and diet plans. I do exercise, but it is mainly to try and keep my back muscles strong since standing, sitting and walking are not things I am able to do for long. Hoping for surgery before the end of the year that might fix my spine. Be strong and work hard. Enjoy the one life we get here. :)
@Twoann - I'd rather have them go by 1950's charts than somewhat more modern ones. I don't know how they shape up to a chart from 2012, but I recommend reading "Obesity as a Culture Bound Syndrome" by Ritenbaugh. It's incredibly interesting (note too that she's talking about 10-20lbs, not exactly morbid obesity).
Duh.
Was the funding for this research all at the Aussies expense? I sure hope so, because here in the States, this problem with obesity and its unhealthy connections have been known for what, 75 years? Empress must have mis-read the article, it wasn't about human farting and global warming, but just about being overweight and a connection between more frequent visits to health care centers because of it. Ah ya!
This study is flawed. The only way to prove the BMI theory is to do it by age groups. As we age, we gain weight, but we also end up in the hospital more. When we are young we weigh less, and don't go to the hospital usually. This study needs to study weight issues by age ranges. Otherwise, it proves nothing except that older people go more to the hospital than younger people. We already know this. Also, it needs to do it by nationalities. The reason is that BMI tables vary by nationalities. Lastly, considering how many of these studies are published, you do need to wonder who is teaching statistics in the universities these days? The instructors haven't gotten the point across to make sure that with each study one needs to take a proper sample and to make sure your parameters for each sample will either prove or disapprove your hypothesis. As my college instructor said to me with my first project at school in statistics - "You proved nothing!" A hard lesson, but he was right.
VABlueRidge if your college instructor were here today he would tell you that "you've said nothing". It doesn't matter the age or nationality of the individual, if they stay in shape, exercise regularly and watch their diet, weight will remain steady through a lifetime and avoid a hospital stay you're so concerned about. I've spent 75 years on this green earth and not a day in the hospital but I work at staying in shape, an hour at the gym every single day, golf, swimming and just walking will keep the extra pounds off.
All the study's and theory's are flawed and can be view as a hoax because when it comes to weight loss they are not applied 80% of the time, the results is evident.
Jusb and RussH,
I suspect you are both men. First, woman and men's BMI tables are different. Women have more fat naturally, because it is used when they become pregnant. Next, let's move onto weight gain during pre-menopausal years. The estrogen is starting to decrease, and the women's metabolism changes so that it becomes easier to gain weight. Why? Because without the proper estrogen, she does not absorb calcium like she needs to in her intestines. To prevent this, a slight weight gain is required, so that osteoporosis does not occur. The reason why is that the estrogen receptors in the intestines are needed to be working correctly to absorb the calcium correctly.
So, if women followed your simple recipe above, osteoporosis rates would increase. Mother nature knows best when it comes to women. Most women gain a little weight when they get older and go through menopause. It is healthy for them. It is necessary for them. Otherwise, they will start having all sorts of problems. Remember calcium is needed to provide 80% of the muscle strength; calcium is needed to regulate insulin to prevent Type II diabetes; calcium is needed to allow bone replacement; calcium is needed to control provide proper cooling of the body - vessel constriction; calcium is needed to activate the Vitamin D that does many things - one is protection against infection; calcium triggers an enzyme to clean up your vessels from excess calcium deposits - prevent narrowing of your vessels with plaque; and calcium does even more things than what is just listed. So, bottom line, women as they grow older and go into menopause will keep their health better with a little more weight on. Now there is study. The question would be how much extra weight is needed in postmenopausal woman to stay healthy? Unfortunately, this study states no extra weight is a good idea. This is not true. It is very bad advice for a woman. Any endocrinologist doctor knows better and would doubt the conclusions of this study. In this case, when it comes to maintaining calcium intake in the human body what may be good for the gander (male goose) is not probably good for the goose (female goose).
Im 53 years old. Ive watched my weight and what I eat since I had children at 23. I did this because of my mother who told me then that I would now gain weight very easily. She was right. I have not had a problem with cholesterol, heart disease or diabetes. These 3 run rampant in my family. My uncle that is the same age as me is overweight,he just had a major heart attack and had a stint put in his heart. My mother has 4 stints. If age has anything to do with it then it is because of years of a poor diet and cholestreol building up on your arteries and an enlarged heart from obesity. It catches up with you. I dont have high blood pressure, nor is my blood sugar high and my heart is normal sized and my triglycerides are within normal limits, but i have maintained my weight at about 120 pounds since my kids were born. I have had numerous people that were obviously fat, actually tell me that I am too skinny and that it is unhealthy. Really. Well, here I am at 53. people still tell me i am too skinny. Well I am not on blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds diabetic meds. I do eat what i want, However i dont pig out when i sit down to the table either.I do NOT eat till I am uncomfortable. I watch what I eat because I know foods that are high in fat cholesterol and sugar will make you have heart disease and diabetes. When you get right down to it the average american EATS TOO MUCH and That is way unhealthy. And if really dont think so... dont look in the mirror... look in your medicin cabinet. Look in your kitchen cabinets and fridge. How much is your food bill and your medical bills. And as faar as calcium and menopause, the extra weight will cause a great deal of harm. Better to take supplements and do weight bearing excersizes to stregthen bones. My best advise is practice a heart healthy diet, and do weight bearing excersizes. You will not ever be able to be perfect at this. So dont worry if you back slide and fall off the diet or you dont loose alot of weight immediatly. The goal is a healthy heart and strong bones and overall good health. A good diet and excersize program is something that you practice at, not be perfect at. It beats having a heart attack or stroke and having stints put in your heart.
I agree that for some women, it is healthier to be thin when older rather than to gain a little extra weight to support the bones, as a previous commenter said. My husband has a 92 year old grandmother who is on the very thin side, but is active, participates in many family activities and does arts and crafts and loves baking, walking, and is obsessed with healthy eating. She has told me about how she has eaten organically for several years now, and she believes in all these specific little health remedies and regimens. I don't believe they are all completely necessary or efficacious, but the combination of everything she does to stay healthy seems to work for her. She is mentally sharp as a tack and whenever I see her I just think wow, I want to have that much energy when I am her age!
On the other hand, my paternal grandmother has in just the last 2 years lost a good portion of her mental faculties, hardly speaks unless spoken to, has bad diabetes, frequently swollen legs and feet, and has been overweight the last decade (at least) or her life so far. She is only 73. The difference between my super-healthy and bright older grandma and my unhealthy, failing grandmother (I love her alot and I really miss the "old" her) is lifestyle choices. She watched tv all the time, never followed any sort of diet for her diabetes other than drinking diet soda instead of sugar, and she never exercised. This makes me sad but I'm glad I have two examples to follow. How I end up when I am old will be MY choice. I think I'm going to take the healthy road and take care of myself. Easier said than done I know, but at least I will try my hardest.
In other news , people that smoke cough more often and people who chew tabacco spit alot !
That would be false.
For crying out bloody loud. The medical industry is no different from car mechanics. Both want your business and will find ways to scare you into check-ups. Diagnosis? "You're overweight, exercise, shed pounds." Gee, doc, I didn't know that! Here's your $50 fee. I'm with fossafun, duh!
Leave us alone. So we're fat, wrinkled, waddle, fart, can't hear or see well, so what? Whose body is it? Whose life? Hands off, we'll get along just fine. Sorry we're ugly and not trim beauties but we won't ask for help or ramp up medical insurance rates for the rest of you athletes.
brit it the pit,
yeah right, your health equals my pocket book getting lighter to pay for your poor health. and yeah it still effects others since the hospitals got to get bigger beds, etc, etc to take care of people that are way over weight.
Guys, you misunderstood. I'm not fat, I was just speaking on their behalf. I never go to the hospital or doctors or clinics. Of course, one of these days I'll break a bone and then I'll go. Even if I have cancer, I'll live out my natural days.
I have no sympathy for the fatties who trundle into hospitals as if it's not their fault. It is your fault. Stay home and live with it or do something about it yourself. Don't make us pay for your couch-gobbling junk food lifestyle.
Am I clear?
Of course, the less healthy you are, the more likely you are to fall ill, but this study is being read so 2-dimensionally, that it is difficult to take seriously. VABlueRidge makes several valid points that I endorse and would like to add one more note - the study neglects to mention the possibility people who are overweight quite often do not have the same starting health point. Some people who are overweight are so because of existing lifestyle or health limitations. WiserThanYou - you are being simpleminded and cruel. I used to think the same, and mouth off and tell people how easy it was, until...
...my own personal struggle with weight gain from healthy to overweight and eventual "BMI-obese" category following a broken knee from skiing (0% weight bearing for 6 months), a pregnancy with twins, within 1 month of completing rehab, and severe back injury when the twins were only 6 weeks old (stemming from weak ab-muscles from my C-section and the soft tissue softness that comes during pregnancy). I was literally "down and out" for more than 2 years, and yeah - I went from a strong, healthy, super-fit person to being 55 lbs overweight - within the blink of an eye and I couldn't seem to do anything about it - and I tried (stationary exercise, calorie counting, everything). It sucks, but this story, or ones like it are not uncommon. Update - the twins are 3 now, I have lost more than 30lbs through clean living and exercise, but still have 25 lbs ahead of me. It's a journey, not a race...
I wish you all the luck with your return to your more healthy self. I am on the same journey, bouncing back from a setback.
Elizabeth
I had twins also. I had a neck injury that kept me down for about 2 to 3 months. I feel your plight. Keep up the good work stay with it. This is a life long thing. But it is worth it when your my age and you can keep up with your kids and grandkids at the zoo or the park. I maintain a heart healthy diet not because i want to be thin and look good. Im 53 I dont care about how good i look Im into comfort now. I wear sweats and yoga pants now. I threw out my jeans about 5 years ago. But I do not want to grow old and have to constantly be taking meds or checking my blood sugar or worring about my blood pressure.
The weight will come off. But maintain your diet not so much for your weight but for your heart. Believe me it is worth it. I have never had a perfect figure, never will, and i have never been considered pretty. And you are so right it is a journey with lots of setbacks and pit falls. And when you fall off you just get back on. Heart disease obesity and diabetes runs rampant in my family. So I know how hard it is. I know how frustrating it is to eat one meal and the next day my weight be 2 more pounds and it take a week to loose it. I finally said to hell with my weight and just ate good foods and avoided the bad ones. So keep up the really good work and my best to you
The world is full of geniuses. They figured this out all by themselves did they.
This story is nothing more than column filler.
Hey fat a$$, your going to die earlier!
What about the anorexic? There are dozens of diseases attributable to people who are under weight. I think there are more important things in this world that we have to worry about.
The bigger worry would be the very obese children i see when school lets out, if parents don't do something about it, these kids will be faced with all types of diseases and illnesses
Life will kill you...deal with it. And run from the cure and question everything a "doctor" says...they don't call it a medical "practice" for nothing. I really hate calling these people "doctors" because they are nothing like the actual doctors I knew as a kid...those people actually gave a crap about your health and your life. Today they care more about money than anything else.
That was money well spent. Hopefully it was provided by the DUH Foundation.
about june first of this year, i cut back on soda pop, limiting myself to just two per day, with a beginners exercise program of walking and riding a bicycle about 5 miles a week, I have allready lost 30 pounds. eating smaller portions at meals, and having water at meal time.
I am not gearing up for a marathon or anything, but I am hoping to be in one healthy piece for many years to come.
Old or young, overweight or thin, its best to stay out of hospitals. More people are getting staph and other infections just by going into a hospital for treatment. Also, (doctor perscribed) mixing of meds are killing off a lot of folks too. Remember that the graveyards are full of medical mistakes (misdiagnosis anyone?). Add pharmacutial companys to the list too. Its a tough place to navigate these days.
As an ICU RN for a decade, I can tell you there are serious issues related to this. Not only are obese patients using more healthcare, when they are admitted they have to have special equipment. "Big boy beds" oversized beside commodes, and staff have injuries related to having to turn and move these obese patients. Most of the time, diabetes can be improved or cured simply by changing diet and weight loss. So the medications and complications that cause health care dollars would go down. The average obese patient ends up with longer hospital stays, too. In the last ICU I worked in, over HALF of the patients were on the specialty beds to try to avoid bed sores. It doesn't always avoid them, though...so you have more infections and skin problems. Also, most come into the hospital with skin issues due to poor hygiene that is directly related to their weight.
Well you get the benifit of staying employed , but there is a good chance that you are here on work visa taking a job
Brian--why would you say something like that? I wish you trolls would just stay the heck out of it.
both are facts that is why
Sounds like another bogus study to me.
Fat people are more likely to be unhealthy? I could have told you that.
Life is a terminal disease.
Oh, good! Now I can add a 5 lb weight gain to my list of things to worry about!
I have been saying this same thing when ever it comes out about smokers are the blame for higher healthcare costs. 30% are smokers,80% are fat and they always are going to the doctor and most take alot of pills that costs alot. Fat people costs more then smokers period, they don't get as good as mileage as I do because their car is loaded down, they take up too much room on the side walk and I can't pass them. When they fart it's like a full tank of propane all at once. But to be fair when they take a bath they only need a half gallon to fill the tub.
Differance is that smokers pay 80B a year in taxes just for their cigars and cigarettes , over weight DON't
all you heavy people that where for bashing smokers that pay more than 80B a year more in taxes , you all set the pace for yourself and I'm calling for" fatty tax" and increased insurance cost.Obama was looking out for you FAT ones with obama care.
Troll alert!
Let me guess Jay your a fatty.
Oh, wow! Here comes more 'deathfatobesity' propoganda! Let's examine the facts - when an overweight person goes to the doctor with any ailment, they are more likely than a thin person to be told 'go home and go on a diet - all your problems will disappear if you only lose weight!' - The thin person is given treatment for their 'legitimate' ailment and followed accordingly because their illness is clearly not 'their own fault.' The fat person goes home and attempts to lose weight in order to become 'worthy' of medical care. When the diet fails [as 95% of them do] to produce better health, they're forced to go to the hospital - thus fueling the propaganda that fat people go to the hospital more often.
Big Diet and Big Pharma, don't forget, want people to be fat, because they make $66 billion a year on products fat people can use to try to alleviate the societal shame of being fat. If their products actually worked - everyone would become thin and there would be no more profit.
100% agree. I'm overweight (100lbs to lose by BMI, about 70lbs by body fat %), I was having some weird heart things (it felt like my heart is beating in water and my blood pressure is/was pre-hypertensive) after my work shoveled a big dose of stress and anxiety on me, causing me to come home crying every day and thinking about how fun jumping off a bridge or high balcony would feel, I was also plucking and cutting. She told me to lose weight because I'd probably never be able to get pregnant (wft?). Gave me blood pressure pills and told me to exercise (I'd been running and doing Zumba at the time).
I saw another doctor. Gave me depression and anxiety pills. Listened when told him about my stress and anxiety (which had by that time developed into depression). Gave me anxiety and depression meds. Heart feels better, I feel better, I feel less suicidal, no more destructive behavior. Still fat, but I've been not gaining for over a year now, which is an improvement for me. I'm trying to do it without dieting or calorie counting since I don't think I'd find those sustainable. I'm trying to develop good habits and just eat better.
I worry about the obese people who don't have access to multiple doctors, who carry on with other negative health problems just because a doctor told them they were too fat at first glance without listening.
I'm too cheap to be fat. I have 5 or 6 pairs of jeans that I love and wear all the time. Every time they start to get tight, I know its time to pick up the exercise routine. I weigh slightly less than I did in college. Honestly, I'm just too cheap to get fat...