Objective: This study examined the sociodemographic, health, and economic determinants of limitations in performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in Canadians 65 years and older with emphasis on the role of relative body weight. Furthermore, the study examined the relationship between these limitations and the whole range of relative body weight while controlling for the above determinants. Method: This research used data collected in the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2005 on Canadians 65 years and older (N = 21,255). Results: The odds of experiencing IADL limitations were higher for women, the poor, and those not living with a partner. These odds also increased with advancing age and weaker physical health. Controlling for socioeconomic and health characteristics, the odds of experiencing such limitations were significantly elevated in underweight and obese individuals but not in overweight individuals. Discussion: Prevention and intervention strategies targeting underweight and obese individuals should be a policy priority.
Atlantis, E., & Baker, M. ( 2008). Obesity effects on depression: Systematic review of epidemiological studies. International Journal of Obesity, 32, 881-891.
2.
Bruffaerts, R., Demyttenaere, K., Vilagut, G., Martinez, M., Bonnewyn, A., De Graaf, R., et al. (2008). The relation between body mass index, mental health, and functional disability: A European population perspective. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 53, 679-687.
3.
Chen, H., & Guo, X. ( 2008). Obesity and functional disability in elderly Americans . Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56, 689-694.
4.
Chen, H., Bermudez, O.I., & Tucker, K.L. ( 2002). Waist circumference and weight change are associated with disability among elderly Hispanics. Journal of Gerontology , 57, M19-M25.
5.
Flegal, K.M., Carroll, M.D., Ogden, C.L., & Johnson, C.L. ( 2002). Prevalence and trends in obesity among U.S. adults, 1999-2000 . Journal of the American Medical Association, 288, 1723-1727.
6.
Forman-Hoffman, V.L., Richardson, K.K., Yankey, J.W., Hillis, S.L., Wallace, R.B., & Wonlinsky, F.D. (2008). Impact of functional limitations and medical comorbidity on subsequent weight changes and increased depressive symptoms in older adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 20, 367-384.
7.
Forman-Hoffman, V.L., Yankey, J.W., Hillis, S.L., Wallace, R.B., & Wonlinsky, F.D. (2007). Weight and depressive symptoms in older adults: Direction of influence?, Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences62B(1), S43-S51.
8.
Friedman, J.M., Elasy, T., & Jensen, G.L. ( 2001). The relationship between body mass index and self-reported functional limitations among older adults: A gender difference. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 49, 398-403.
9.
Gadalla, T.M. ( 2008a). Disability associated with comorbid anxiety disorders in women with chronic physical illness in Ontario, Canada. Women & Health, 48, 1-20.
10.
Gadalla, T.M. ( 2008b). Eating disorders and associated psychiatric comorbidity in elderlyCanadian women. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 11, 357-362.
11.
Gadalla, T.M. ( 2008c). Impact of comorbid mood disorders and chronic illness on disability and quality of life in Ontario, Canada. Chronic Diseases in Canada, 28, 148-154.
12.
Gadalla, T.M. (in press). Association between mood and anxiety disorders and self-reported disability: Results from a nationally representative sample of Canadians. Journal of Mental Health.
13.
Jenkins, K.R. ( 2004a). Body-weight change and physical functioning among young old adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 16, 248-266.
14.
Jenkins, K.R. ( 2004b). Obesity’s effect on the onset of functional impairment among older adults. The Gerontologist, 44, 206-216.
15.
Jensen, G.L., & Friedman, J.M. (2002). Obesity is associated with functional decline in community-dwelling rural older persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 50, 918-923.
16.
Jorm, A.F., Korten, A.E., Christensen, H., Jacomb, P.A., Rodgers, B., & Parslow, R.A. ( 2003). Association of obesity with anxiety, depression, and emotional well-being: A community survey. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 27, 434-440.
17.
Kaplan, M.S., Huguet, N., Newsom, J.T., McFarland, B.H., & Lindsay, J. ( 2003). Prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among older adults: Findings from the Canadian National Population Survey. Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences , 58A, 1018-1030.
18.
Kelley-Moore, J.A., & Ferraro, K.F. ( 2005). A 3-D model of health decline: Disease, disability and depression among Black and White older adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 46, 376-391.
19.
Lang, I.A., Llewellyn, D.J., Alexander, K., & Melzer, D. ( 2008).Obesity, physical function, and mortality in older adults . Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56, 1474-1478.
20.
Larrieu, S., Peres, K., Letenneur, L., Berr, C., Dartigues, J.F., Richie, K., et al. (2004). Relationship between body mass index and different domains of disability in older persons: The 3C study. International Journal of Obesity, 28, 1555-1560.
21.
McIntyre, R.S., Konarski, J.Z., Wilkins, K., Soczynska, J.K., & Kennedy, S.H. ( 2006). Obesity in bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: Results from a National Community Health Survey on mental health and well-being . Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 51, 274-280.
22.
Ostir, G., Markides, K.S., & Black, S.A. ( 2000). Emotional well-being predicts subsequent functional independence and survival. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 48, 473-478.
23.
Petry, N.M., Barry, D., Pietrzak, R.H., & Wagner, J.A. ( 2008). Overweight and obesity are associated with psychiatric disorders: Results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70, 288-297.
24.
Roberts, R.E., Deleger, S., Strawbridge, W.J., & Kaplan, G.A. ( 2003). Prospective association between obesity and depression: Evidence from the Alameda County Study. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 27, 514-521.
25.
Schieman, S., McMullen,T., & Swan, M. ( 2007). Relative body weight and psychological distress in late life: Observations of gender and race comparisons. Journal of Aging and Health, 19, 286-312.
26.
Scott, K.M., McGee, M.A., Wells, J.E., & Browne, M.A.O. (2008). Obesity and mental disorders in the adult general population. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 64, 97-105.
27.
Shields, M., Gorber, S.C., & Tremblay, M.S. (2008). Estimates of obesity based on self-report versus direct measures. Health Reports, 19(2), 1-16.
28.
Simon, G.E., Von Korff, M., Saunders, K., Miglioretti, D.L., Crane, P.K., van Belle, G., et al. (2006). Association between obesity and psychiatric disorders in the U.S. adult population. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63, 824-830.
29.
Statistics Canada. (2006). Canadian Community Health Survey, cycle 3.1, 2005. Public Use Microdata Documentation . Ottawa: Author.
30.
Travis, L.A., Lyness, J.M., Shields, C.G., King, D.A., & Cox, C. ( 2004). Social support, depression and functional disability in older adult primary-care patients. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12, 265-271.
31.
Villanueva, E.V. ( 2001). The validity of self-reported weight in the U.S. adults: A population based cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health , 1, 11.
32.
Wellbery, C. ( 2008). Association between obesity and disability in persons 60 years or older. American Family Physician, 78, 387-388.
33.
Zoico, E., Francesco, V., Guralnik, J.M., Mazzali, G., Bortolani, A., Guariento. S., et al. (2004). Physical disability and muscular strength in relation to obesity and different body composition indexes in a sample of healthy elderly women. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 28, 234-241.
