Trends in Obesity and Arthritis Among Baby Boomers and Their Predecessors, 1971–2002

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11034864
AutoresSuzanne G Leveille (0000-0003-0427-1580, The authors are with the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.), Christina C Wee (0000-0002-0439-5746, The authors are with the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.), Lisa I Iezzoni (0000-0002-1416-5039, The authors are with the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.)
Ano2005
Volume95
Fascículo9
Páginas1607-1613
Data de publicação2005-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
EditoraAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2004.060418
PMID16051931
OpenAlexW2155433338
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas18
Referências citadas25

Objectives. We examined trends in obesity and arthritis prevalence among the “baby boom” (born 1946–1965) and “silent” (born 1926–1945) generations. Methods. We conducted birth cohort analyses using successive waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1971–2002). Results. Obesity rates increased markedly, beginning earlier in life with each successive birth cohort. When the members of the silent generation were aged 35–44 years, 14%–18% were obese. At comparable ages, 28%–32% of the youngest baby boomers were obese. Differences in arthritis prevalence were not evident across birth cohorts. However, the relative risk of arthritis because of obesity increased over time; consequently, the percentage of arthritis cases attributable to obesity increased from 3% to 18% between 1971 and 2002. Conclusions. Our results showed that members of the baby boom generation were more obese, and became so at younger ages than their predecessors. Although differences in arthritis prevalence are not yet evident, findings suggest that obesity has contributed to more cases of arthritis in recent years than in previous decades

Arthritis · Baby boom · Baby boomers · Cohort · Environmental health · Obesity · Population · Demography · Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms · Rheumatoid Arthritis Research and Therapies · Gerontology · Pediatrics