Abstract
This study aimed to analyze the association of healthy lifestyle behaviors with overweight and obesity among Europeans aged 65+ years. Data were from the 2014 European Social Survey, analyzing 21 countries. Five lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, sleep quality, drinking alcohol, and smoking) were analyzed. Binary logistic regressions were performed. A total of 8938 participants (4099 men) 65 years and older, mean age—73.6 (SD: 6.6) presented prevalence of overweight of 42.3% (95% CI: 41.3 to 43.3) and obesity of 20.9% (95% CI: 20.1 to 21.8). Adopting five healthy behaviors was associated with lower odds of obesity (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.39 to 0.63), but not overweight (OR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.79 to 1.10). Physical activity (≥5 days/week) was the most protective behavior, reducing by 42% the odds of obesity. Sex moderated the association of fruits and vegetables consumption, alcohol use, and smoking with obesity. Strategies aiming to reduce obesity levels in older adults should focus on the promotion of multiple lifestyle health behaviors, particularly physical activity in order to decrease vulnerability risk in old age.
Highlights
In 2017, high body-mass index (BMI) caused 2.4 million (95% UI 1.6 million, 3.4 million) deaths and 70.7 million (95% UI 49.1 million, 94.9 million) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in females, and 2.3 million (95% UI 1.4 million, 3.4 million) deaths and 77.0 million (95% UI 49.7 million, 108.2 million) DALYs lost in males [1]
Our study shows that the second healthy lifestyle behavior that was most associated with obesity was sleep quality
Understanding lifestyle behaviors that are associated with overweight and obesity in the older population could contribute to implement more effective health programs to prevent or treat obesity and related vulnerability in old age
Summary
In 2017, high body-mass index (BMI) caused 2.4 million (95% UI 1.6 million, 3.4 million) deaths and 70.7 million (95% UI 49.1 million, 94.9 million) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in females, and 2.3 million (95% UI 1.4 million, 3.4 million) deaths and 77.0 million (95% UI 49.7 million, 108.2 million) DALYs lost in males [1]. The prevalence of overweight (body mass index: BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 ) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 ) in European adults (≥50 years) is estimated to be about 60% and 19%, respectively [2]. Among older adults, these prevalences are known to be higher than among middle-aged and younger adults [2]. Increased overweight and obesity are accompanied by societal, demographic, and cultural changes, involving mainly the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such as insufficient physical activity practice, unfavorable dietary behavior, sleeping patterns, and consumption of some substances such as alcohol and tobacco [10,11]. An increase in fruit and vegetal consumption contributes to reducing adiposity among overweight and obese adults [12]
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