Public Policy: Obesity and Aging Society

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Implications of obesity in an aging society on entitlement programs
The impacts of obesity on life expectancy, health costs, and quality of care
The baby boom generation
Overall diagnosis of the epidemic, and recommendations
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

In the aging societies of the United States, obesity has undergone a dramatic increase in recent years. People attribute this to many factors ranging from the excessive intake of energy food through lack of proper physical exercises to genetic susceptibility. They further estimate that approximately one-third of adults in the United States are obese, 15 million of which comprise of the older adults aged 51 years and above (Fontaine, Cutler and Allison 189).

Obesity is a “medical condition characterized by excess accumulation of body fats to the level that the affected individual experiences diverse health effects resulting to a number of health problems and other chronic conditions” (Flegal, Carroll and Curtin 237). Professional doctors determine obesity based on the ’Body-mass index (MBI), a measurement that compares body weight with body height. Therefore, a person can be overweight and not obese.

An obese person has increased likelihood of acquiring various diseases, which include heart diseases, diabetes type 2, specific types of osteoarthritis and cancer, sleep apnea. The prevalence of obesity in an aging society is on an upward trend. For instance, According to Fontaine, Cutler and Allison , between 1999 and 2002,the percentage of obese adults aged from 65 to 74 years increased from 18% to approximately 36%(187).

Obesity in the aging society has become an epidemic due to diverse detrimental effects related to it. This follows because a big proportion of obese older people have obesity-related chronic illnesses or detrimental degenerative conditions like cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and cancer. This paper addresses the issues surrounding obesity epidemic. It, further, shows its respective influence on the human population as people age.

Implications of obesity in an aging society on entitlement programs

Obesity among older or senior citizens in the United States has far-reaching implications on various entitlement programs specifically social security, and Medicare. The fiscal malaise experienced by the entitlements programs mainly result from increased rates of obesity amongst senior citizens.

Policy makers often debate on the mitigation measures to reduce entitlements costs, as they have profound effects on the nation’s economic growth. The United States’ Social security, the world’s largest program in social insurance program, faces diverse challenges as the number of beneficiaries increase.

The social security has diverse programs such as unemployment benefits, Medicare- a health insurance for the disabled and old, programs in medical assistance known as Medicaid program, disability insurance, assistance for poor families, patient protection programs, and affordable care programs.

These programs require a lot of money to implement. However, it benefits millions of citizens. The number of senior citizens requiring health insurance from social security has increased resulting to increased expenditure. From recent studies, it is evident that the increase of obese people in the aging society is tantamount to increased expenditure in social security. Disability pensions that are attributable to increased obesity cost the US economy billions of dollars every year.

In the realm of the United States’ health care, the aging society is drawing much attention based on the evident increase of obesity prevalence among older citizens that has resulted to an increase in many chronic conditions. This has escalated the cost of drugs and services in the healthcare sector.

Therefore, the aging society is among the leading contributors of ballooning costs of healthcare, which result to an increase in government budgets. Medicare costs have increased because of the increase in medical bills based on the myriad diseases related to the aging obesity. According to Andereveva, Robert, and Ringel , “Medicare is a unique entitlement program which avails health insurance to citizens aged from 65 years and above or to citizens with disabilities without any regard to their income” (1938).

The US government enacted this program in 1965. It provides the aging and disabled citizens with coverage for health insurance similar to the one offered to fit the non-elderly citizens in private sectors. Medicare includes part A that is the hospital insurance; Part B, which is the supplementary insurance that covers outpatients, home care services and physician visits; and part D that is coverage for prescription drugs.

According to recent statistics, Medicare covers approximately 44 million citizens who include both disabled and senior citizens in the United States (Andereveva, Robert, and Ringel 1939). This program receives funds from revenues accrued from general taxes, beneficiary premiums as well as taxes from the federal payroll.

With the high number of people under Medicare program, increase in chronic conditions related to obesity poses a great challenge to the program. Finkelstein and Fiebelkorn noted how substantial proportions of excess costs in health care amongst obese adults in the United States occur from the age of 65 years…hence covered by Medicare, which translates into direct charges to all working citizens through government’s taxation (224).

Consequently, Medicare expenditure has to rise because of the high increase in health complications related to obesity among older citizens in the United States. These illnesses require special and long-term health care management by highly skilled and specialized caregivers.

According to various researches conducted on this issue, people spend billions of dollars on various entitlement programs in healthcare alone. For instance, “it is estimated that, in 2008 only, the United States spent approximately $600 billion on Medicaid and Medicare programs” (James 67). This resulted from the fact that a considerable proportion of America’s citizens are aging. As a result, they use greater services in healthcare.

The impacts of obesity on life expectancy, health costs, and quality of care

Increase in prevalence of obesity in the aging society has increased health costs at a tremendous rate. This contribution emerges from the fact that obesity in the aging citizens has resulted to an increase in chronic conditions that are expensive to treat. One pivotal metric to summarize the huge burden obesity has on the systems of healthcare and the whole society is to perform an assessment of the diverse economic costs associated with obesity.

The metric encompasses various financial consequences obtained from medical resources used to treat obesity-related illnesses, both nonfatal and fatal health conditions. Through studying of diverse economic consequences associated with obesity using monetary terms, there is a clear analysis of the impacts of obesity in senior citizens on health cost. The affected people and other stakeholders make hefty payments on cases related to obesity.

Health costs attributable to increase in obesity in an aging society include both direct and indirect costs. It consist of various resources used in hospitals, which include distinct costs incurred by excessive utilization of pharmacotherapy, ambulatory care, laboratory costs, hospitalization, radiological costs, and long-term care in nursing homes because of the various diseases attributed to obesity. Unsurprisingly, huge burdens of diseases lead to various devastating consequences occurring from increased risks of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and nonfatal but costly health conditions like osteoarthritis.

These conditions have increased health costs largely. Hser et al. examines the relationship between the increase in health costs in the United States and trends in obesity. The authors found that , between year 1987 and year 2000, a combination of increased obesity prevalence and rise in spending among obese citizens accounted for 27% of the total growth in expenditure in the United States’ healthcare”(Hser et al. 34).

This signifies tremendous changes that have occurred on the standard care accorded to obesity-related diseases and conditions such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart diseases, and diabetes. Escalating health costs pose a great challenge to the health sector and patients. The annual heath costs of treating obesity-related conditions and diseases in the United States amount to billions of dollars. They are responsible for approximately 4% to 7% of total expenditure in healthcare (Fontaine, Cutler and Allison 191).

Many researchers have noted how majority of healthcare costs increase when obesity levels increase. Moreover, indirect costs that are obesity-related exist. They include decrease in years of life that is disability-free, early retirement, reduced productivity, and absenteeism in work, disability pensions, and the increase in mortality.

Thus, it is imperative to implement effective measures to reduce health costs in the country. This is achievable through various preventive measures that will curb the increasing obesity in the aging society. For instance, providing counseling services to citizens on how to practice proper eating habits, as well as exercising their bodies, is significant to reducing the number of people who are becoming obese.

On the other hand, obesity in the aging society has reduced the quality of care given to patients due to overwhelming increases in cases requiring high medical attention. Many obese adults in the United States seeking medical care often lack enough obesity screening, counseling, and diagnosis. Even with detailed anthropometric data on patients, the care providers fail to offer high quality services.

The aging society in America presents a big proportion of the total population. With the increasing obesity prevalence among them, medical facilities are becoming overwhelmed by high demand for distinct services. Quality of healthcare for acute and chronic conditions, often related to obesity in an aging society, has decreased over the years. If the past trends in obesity in an aging society continue unchecked, the quality of care will continue to diminish.

In addition, the health costs will rise, as many older and obese people will be prone to many infections. Therefore, effective behavioral and health interventions are paramount in curtailing the witnessed rise of obesity cases by addressing its roots, which include poor preparation of food, widespread proximity to food with high proportions of calories, and sedentary lifestyles.

Obesity in the aging society has profound effects on life expectancy. The negative effects that obesity has on life expectancy manifest themselves in various chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer, which have increased their prevalence over the years. According to Susan, Cutler, and Rosen, estimates gathered by experts reveal how obesity is responsible for 5% to 15% of annual deaths that occur in the United States (2253).

Obesity leads to diverse diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other health problems, which result to a reduced life expectancy, as many obese people die prematurely. Utilizing data obtained from three decades ago, Susan and her colleagues point out how the increasing rate of obesity among senior citizens in the United States is posing an immense challenge to the country, as it is causing early deaths among the citizens, which translate into reduced life expectancy (Susan, Cutler, and Rosen 2257).

This follows because people with high BMI have reduced life expectancy, as obesity exacerbates diverse chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis, hypertension, and increased blood cholesterol, amongst others. The reduction in life expectancy poses a huge threat to the country’s economy.

Many productive citizens will lose their lives before attaining their full potential, thus, dwindling economic progress in the respective areas they were working. In addition, Fontaine and colleagues reckon that obesity reduces life expectancy for the US citizens. They estimate how life expectancy can reduce with up to 18% for citizens aged 60 years (Fontaine et. al 194). Efforts to increase life expectancy and reduced detrimental effects associated with obesity should focus on stabilizing or reversing upwards trends in obesity.

The baby boom generation

Baby boom generation refers to people born after the Second World War mainly from 1946 to 1964. Baby boomers present a considerable proportion of the United States’ population totaling to approximately 76 million people (Strauss and Howe 54). Therefore, with the increase in obesity in the aging population, baby boomers are a big concern. As Charles, Reynolds, and Gatz reckon, the first baby boomers will reach 65 years in the year 2011, which is the standard age of retirement in the United States (143).

Thus, tomorrow’s America faces a big challenge, as it will be a queer aging society mainly contributed by the fact that, over the coming decade, enormous percentage of the baby boom generation will have reached retirement age. As the generation of baby boomers reach retirement age, it becomes eligible to the benefits of social security.

Unfortunately, as majority baby boomers approach retirement, social security funds are reducing because of the big number of people requiring various benefits from these funds. Baby boomers are, not only aging, but also living longer. This means that they will need more Medicare entitlement programs for greater periods. Medicare costs are increasing due to increase in treatment costs in systems of healthcare in the United States.

These costs include high costs of doctors’ reimbursement, high price for stays in hospitals, and increases in the prices of prescription drugs. Thus, the increasing obesity in senior citizens who will comprise of baby boomers has diverse long-term implications. First, there will be detrimental implications on the health sector due to the increase in health problems related to obesity, as health insurance costs will escalate at an alarming rate.

Moreover, entitlement programs will experience financial whammy since the number of people requiring various benefits will be overwhelming. Obesity in the aging society will increase expenditure in medical insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. This will lead to financial challenges to various entitlement programs.

Overall diagnosis of the epidemic, and recommendations

Obesity has become a crisis in public health because the increasing rates are presenting a huge pandemic that require urgent attention in the United States if potential mortality, economic, morbidity tolls are to be mitigated. Concomitant improvements are vital in ensuring that obesity does not diminish longevity and life quality of the aging. As James posits, due to the increase in obesity for the past thirty years, health status of the US’ population have experienced adverse effects (58).

Today’s older citizens in America, more so the generation of baby boomers, have caused unprecedented demands for cosmetic surgery, knee replacements and other requirements. Many people have embarked on measures on how to remain young via non-medical solutions like exercise, taking multivitamins, having more sleep.

Due to many researches on the effects of obesity in an aging society, the negative effects of obesity seem pronounced making the adoption of mitigation measures a paramount endeavor. Practices and policies to prevent people from gaining excess weighty will reduce huge burden experienced from obesity.

Although there are many ongoing debates about effects of obesity in an aging society, people need to take effective measures to address this epidemic. As James posits, negative effects of obesity on life expectancy, heath costs, entitlement programs, and economic growth will increase if the rate of obesity increase persists every year (56).

Without proper measures, the aging generation in the United States will require excess healthcare and other amenities mainly contributed by obesity-related health complications. The mainstays of curbing obesity are physical exercises and dieting. In addition, it is imperative to improve the quality of the diet one consumes by reducing the amount of high-energy foods especially those rich in sugars and fats. Efficient preventive measures such as counseling service and early screening are also significant in reducing obesity epidemic

Conclusion

As the prevalence of obesity in an aging society continues to increase, more pressing challenges of extensively quantifying distinct impacts posed by this epidemic to inform health services and public policies emerge. Failure to mitigate the increasing rate of obesity will eventually erode the tremendous gains in life expectancy and health observed since the beginning of 20th century.

Works Cited

Andereveva, Harold, Robert, Sturm and Ringel, Samuel. Moderate and severe obesity have large differences in health care costs. Obes Res 12.12 (2004): 1936-1943.

Charles, Timothy, Reynolds, Samuel, and Gatz, Mike. “Age-related differences and change in positive and negative affect over 23 years”. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 80.1 (2001): 136–151

Finkelstein, Einstein and Fiebelkorn, Mophat. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: how much, and who’s paying? Health Aff (Millwood) 3.1 (2003): 219-226.

Flegal, Morgan, Carroll, Moan, and Curtin, Roberts. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2008. JAMA 303.3 (2010): 235-241.

Fontaine, Knight, Cutler, Wang, and Allison, Douglas. Years of life lost due to Obesity. JAMA 289.2 (2003):187-193.

Hser, Young, et al. Effects of program and patient characteristics on retention of drug Treatment patients. Evaluation and Program Planning 24.2 (2001): 331–341.

James, William. The epidemiology of obesity: the size of the problem. J Intern Med 263.5 (2008): 52-336.

Strauss, William and Howe, Neil. Generations: The history of America’s future. Harper Perennial.454.6 (1992):.43-324.

Susan, Stewart, Cutler, David, and Rosen, Allison. Forecasting the effects of obesity and smoking on U.S. life expectancy. N Engl J Med 361.23 (2009): 2252-2260.

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