Re: BMI Scale

[Marie Helweg-Larsen]

Another perspective of the costs (economic and health related) of obesity. Cheers Marie Lifetime Health and Economic Consequences of Obesity       David Thompson, PhD; John Edelsberg, MD, MPH; Graham A. Colditz, MD, DrPH; Amy P. Bird; Gerry Oster, PhD      Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:2177-2183.      Background  Obesity is an established risk factor for several chronic diseases. The lifetime health and economic consequences of      obesity for individual patients have not been documented.      Objective  To estimate the lifetime health and economic consequences of obesity.      Methods  We developed a dynamic model of the relationship between body mass index and the risks and associated costs of 5      obesity-related diseases: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, and stroke. The      model was estimated using data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the Framingham Heart Study, and      other secondary sources. We used this model to estimate (1) risks of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and type 2 diabetes      mellitus at future ages; (2) lifetime risks of coronary heart disease and stroke; (3) life expectancy; and (4) expected lifetime medical      care costs of these 5 diseases for men and women aged 35 to 64 years with body mass indexes of 22.5, 27.5, 32.5, and 37.5 kg/m2      (nonobese and mildly, moderately, and severely obese, respectively).      Results  Disease risks and costs increase substantially with increased body mass index. The risk of hypertension for moderately      obese 45- to 54-year-old men, for example, is roughly 2-fold higher than for their nonobese peers (38.1% vs 17.7%), whereas the      risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus is almost 3-fold higher (8.1% vs 3.0%). Lifetime risks of coronary heart disease and stroke are      similarly elevated (41.8% vs 34.9% and 16.2% vs 13.9%, respectively), whereas life expectancy is reduced by 1 year (26.5 vs 27.5 years). Total      discounted lifetime medical care costs for the treatment of these 5 diseases are estimated to differ by $10,000 ($29,600 vs $19,600). Similar results were      obtained for women.      Conclusions  The lifetime health and economic consequences of obesity are substantial and suggest that efforts to prevent or reduce this problem might      yield significant benefits. John Kulig wrote: I am keeping my BMI a secret :) Is Jean-Marc very muscular?? Since muscle weighs more than fat per unit area, a muscular person will have a higher BMI even though they are in otherwise fine shape. It amazes me to hear of football players who are 5 feet 9 inches tall (my height) and weigh 190 pounds, yet do not look overweight. On the various posts relating weight to longevity, it is important to make sure smoking is statistically removed from the analysis, which was not done in the old studies. There is much very recent evidence showing not just the harmful effects of overweight, but the positive benefits of being underweight. An American Psychologist article from a year or two back summarized some of this work. Will find reference later .. off to exam. ============================================ John W. Kulig Professor of Psychology Plymouth State College Plymouth NH 03264 ============================================ "Nothing is more American, nothing is more patriotic than speaking out, questioning authority and holding your leaders accountable" General Welsey K. Clark, 24 September 2003. -----Original Message----- From: Paul Brandon [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 7:32 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences Subject: Re: BMI Scale At 3:13 PM -0500 11/20/03, Stephen Black wrote: On 20 Nov 2003, Ken Steele wrote, in response to a query from Jean- Marc Perreault about the BMI measure of obesity:: A year or so back, I computed the BMI for myself and several members of the ASU psychology department. All were physically active (runners, bicyclists) and in good shape. All of us were borderline obese according to the BMI rules at that time. So I have been wary of > that measure ever since. One last point. The data does show that serious obesity (say around 35-40) is definitely a health risk. But as far as I know, there is no study which has demonstrated that if you reduce, you live longer, The old line is "life just _seems_ longer". Actually, I think that there's data showing that the exercising overweight live longer than the sedentary of ideal weight. Ken Steele should appreciate that. (BTW, since self disclosure seems to be the order of the day -- my own BMI hovers at the upper border of overweight but not obese). -- * PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Psychology Department 507-389-6217 * * 23 Armstrong Hall Minnesota State University, Mankato * * http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html * --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- ********************************************* Marie Helweg-Larsen, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychology Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773 Carlisle, PA 17013 Office: (717) 245-1562, Fax: (717) 245-1971 ********************************************* --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]