The Nexus Between Obesity, Health and Social Care Needs for Older Adults: A Literature Review

Abstract

This article aims to critically review the literature on the consequences of obesity among older adults and its association with health, well-being, and social care need. A search was conducted using, primarily, three databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Complete, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, or MEDLARS Online (MEDLINE) and Academic Search Elite with the help of Boolean operators. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were set to avoid bias in the selection of articles. Publications were reviewed to identify the impact of obesity among older people in terms of health and social care needs and to establish a relation between them. Gaps in the literature have been identified concerning obesity in the older adults, their health status, well-being, and social care need. The research questions were formulated to satisfy these gaps. A conceptual model was developed to map out the theoretical threads to form a diagrammatic representation to satisfy the research questions based on existing literature.The literature review established that the degree of disabilities and comorbidities related to obesity are directly proportionate and identified the gaps in the literature, where further research work is needed. The research objectives were built according to the identified gaps, the research questions were formulated to satisfy the research objectives, and a conceptual framework was also drawn to establish the links between the research questions. This review will guide a way forward to explore the unmet care needs of the aging society.