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Research Studies in Pension

Factor Affecting Retirement Mortality (FARM)

This FARM site consists of

• an Introduction
• an Abstract
• a Bibliography of research papers
• a collection of Summaries of the research papers.

Use the Table of Summaries to link to the summaries either by author or by risk factor.

Abstract | Bibliography | Introduction | Table of Summaries

Obesity

Allison et al (1999) found that more than 80% of the estimated obesity–attributable deaths occurred among individuals with a BMI1 of more than 30. The hazard rates generally increased with BMI, although this was not consistent until the BMI was in the upper 20s. Wei et al (1999) found that, compared to normal–weight men, obese men had an almost 3–fold higher risk of cardiovascular disease mortality and a 2–fold higher risk of all–cause mortality. Overweight men had intermediate death rates between normal–weight and obese men. In contrast, Vaillant and Mukamal (2001) found body mass index to be only marginally significant.

Allison et al (1999) found that in the higher BMI categories, hazard rates tended to be higher in non–smokers or never–smokers, however, over all categories the difference was slight and inconsistent. However, Wei et al (1999) comment that men who were overweight or obese were also more likely to have baseline disease, smoke cigarettes, be sedentary and have a family history of cardiovascular disease. Contrary to both of these, Rogers et al (1999) comment that being underweight or overweight increased the effects of smoking on mortality.

Wei et al (1999) found that low cardio–respiratory fitness was a strong and independent predictor of cardiovascular disease and all–cause mortality and is an important risk factor that, along with overweight and obesity, adversely influences mortality. They note that cardio– respiratory fitness has a genetic component, which explains 25% to 40% of the mortality variation in fitness levels. However, habitual physical activity is the other major determinant of fitness.

Lantz et al's (1998) found that those with the least education and lowest income were significantly more likely to be current smokers, overweight and in the lowest quintile for physical activity. However, the effects of being overweight were not significant once it was adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and other health behavior variables. Allison et al (1999) refer to another paper by Stevens et al which found that hazard ratios for obesity decreased steadily with advancing age. They also comment that there is continued growth in the population proportion that is obese and severely obese.

1BMI (Body Mass Index) is calculated as weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in metres) squared. The unit of measurement is kg/m2.