Life After 50: Your Number One Financial Liability? The Numbers On The Scale

What is the #1 financial risk as we age? The answer, according to a new study, is clear: obesity.

According to a report by Claire Wang -- researcher at the Department of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health -- and her colleagues, the rising burden of obesity among people 60 and older is intensifying. Of the 65 million additional obese people projected in the U.S. in 2030, 24 million would be in this age range.

Baby boomers, especially those over the age of 60, are already the sickest and most expensive in terms of medical costs. But, what's making this even more worrisome is that it's the fastest growing health issue in the U.S. Therefore, the overall disease burden and economic effects of obesity may be magnified.

Obesity is known to cause heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain cancers. Developing any of these illnesses and diseases can have debilitating results, including loss of employment, inability to cover medical costs and care, and disability. Savings can be wiped out, causing tremendous financial hardships -- at a time when unemployment is at an all time high. And, to compound the problem, many Americans are living without health insurance, which is a huge financial risk in and of itself.

Obesity is America's #1 health and financial risk, bar none.

The study, which was just published in a recent issue of the Lancet, a leading medical journal, summarizes the health and financial risk of obesity as follows:

Rising prevalence of obesity is a worldwide health concern because excess weight gain within populations forecasts an increased burden from several diseases, most notably cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancers. The trends project 65 million more obese adults in the USA by 2030, consequently accruing an additional 6-8.5 million cases of diabetes, 5.7-7.3 million cases of heart disease and stroke, and 492,000-669,000 additional cases of cancer. The combined medical costs associated with treatment of these preventable diseases are estimated to increase by $48-66 billion per year in the USA by 2030. Hence, effective policies to promote healthier weight also have economic benefits.

Obesity-related illnesses now cost $147 billion each year, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, medical costs associated with obesity increased from 6.5 percent of all medical spending in 1998 to about 9 percent in 2006.

Obesity in America is not just a health and financial issue, but a societal one as well.

"This is a social issue," former president Bill Clinton told the audience at a recent summit on obesity, as he accepted an award for the work of his group, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. "We are trying to turn the Titanic around before it hits the iceberg."

Educational programs showing how healthy eating, portion control and exercise can affect not just our health, but our finances as well, could help shift the discourse.

What can you do right now to stop this dangerous trend? It's simple. When I saw the post-menopausal pounds creeping up around the time I turned 50 a few years ago, I took action: I started to walk, then run. Push-ups and sit-ups became part of my daily life, and I began a healthy eating program which is comprised of eating small, healthy meals every two to three hours. The combination of moving my body every day and eating less was all it took. At the age of 54, I am fitter than I've ever been. There isn't a single thing I do that any other average American couldn't do, too.

Starting today:

• Move your body every day: walk, run, bike. If you can walk, you can eventually build up to a little running, with walk breaks.
• Don't forget to strengthen your muscles to avoid osteoporosis. Do 20 push-ups every day.
• Eat smaller portions of healthier food: Take the advice of author Michael Pollan who wrote,
  • "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." And, do what I did to lose -- and keep off -- the post-menopausal 15 pounds -- eat small, healthy meals every two to three hours.
  • Stop eating high calorie processed food (fast food, etc.), and opt for whole foods (vegetables, fruits, lean meats, eggs)
  • Steer clear of sugary sodas and fruit drinks and stick with water
  • Become a "health" activist in your community by getting involved in programs for all ages that will help others embrace healthier lifestyles
  • Start a walking group to get more people--especially those over 50--moving their bodies every day.
• Help the next generation to avoid becoming unhealthy adults by being a good role model and showing that it's never too late to change the future.

* * *

Staying connected is a powerful tool. "Friend" me on Facebook and "Tweet" me on Twitter (@BGrufferman). For more information on living your best life after 50 please visit my website: www.bestofeverythingafter50.com.

2011 New York City Marathon Weekly Training Countdown (11 weeks to go)
I'm running in the NYC Marathon in November to celebrate my 55th birthday and raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, in memory of a friend who succumbed to the disease last year. Here's an update on my training schedule for this week:

• Saturday: 5 miles using a run/walk ratio of 3 minutes/30 seconds
• Monday: 5 miles using a run/walk ratio of 3 minutes/30 seconds
• Thursday: 21 miles with using a run/walk ratio of 30 seconds/30 seconds

Every other week, I'll be adding another mile or so to the long run (keeping the two short runs the same distance), and I will be adding "speed work" to my training. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Follow Barbara Hannah Grufferman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BGrufferman

Comments

[LynneSpreen]

10:59 PM on 09/02/2011

This is really interesting. I wouldn't have thought of it but it makes sense.

When I was babysitting my infant granddaughter, I was more active than usual. For example, a daily 20-25 minute walk; getting up and down off the floor (with her in my arms); going up and down stairs. I ate more than usual and never gained at all. It was amazing.
http://anyshinything.com/2011/09/02/benefits-of-aging/

[Healthy Woman]

11:06 AM on 08/31/2011

Obesity is definitely a health issue for people in the U.S. For women it's a double whammy as they get to their middle years when hormones and metabolism affect their weight. There are a combination of factors at work-busy schedules which promote poor eating choices, too many processed foods, eating portions that are too large, lack of activity, lack of motivation and using food as a type of emotional therapy.

I think, and evidence has shown, that the 3 most important things we can do to combat obesity are: 1. Stay active-no matter what. If you have a medical problem that limits your mobility you could try swimming. 2. Cut all of your portions in half. If you go out to eat cut half of the piece of meat in half to begin with and save for take out. 3. Focus on natural foods-processed foods all have more sodium and carb content.

It's important for us to teach our children healthy habits to prevent obesity from increasing.

[singermuse]

07:09 PM on 08/30/2011

Very good advice! Even though sometimes obesity is not caused by poor diet or lack of exercise, case in point, I have to be on prednesone just to keep breathing and it takes its toll on my body. It IS a good thing to do whatever we can to be as healthy as possible. SLEEP, moderate exercise (we don't have to kill ourselves, even 30 minutes a day can be good), and REAL FOOD. It has been many years since I ate anything remotely resembling "Fast (faux)Food".

[Tracey J Hastings]

01:15 PM on 08/30/2011

Really sound advice and it works! This is the only way to longevity I think. I would only add that a diet should be very diverse. Mix up your fruits and veggies and try it all one way or another. If you are not going to eat the old way....with big meals; make sure you keep your protein intake way up to not lose muscle mass or tone. Quinoa is wonderful also instead of pasta.

[MusicMaker53]

11:22 AM on 08/30/2011

Just a note. I walk. You and many others are pushing running these days. Not everyone can run. I risk Achilles tendon separation if I run due to structure issues with my feet. Others have joint problems that prevent running. I'm sort of tired of people telling me "if you can walk, you can run." Sorry, but I can't.

[Lawson Meadows]

04:37 PM on 08/30/2011

MM,

Just ignore those who say "if you can walk, you can run." That is like saying if you can talk you can sing... and don't be sorry about not being able to, instead, be happy you are motivated to move you body in a manner that can and will prove beneficial.

Just a thought... :)


Lawson Meadows

[Lawson Meadows]

11:50 PM on 08/29/2011

Barbara,

I certainly agree there is so much to be realized that will not be if the impending tidal wave of elders do not become aware of and address the risks - not just theirs, but the nation's physical and fiscal health as well - that will probably result in the crippling expense of medical complications, not to mention the reduction in physical health, mental capacity, and emotional well being suffered.

Your suggestions are fine and more of us should be engaged and involved in health and nutrition. It seems though, that so many are trapped by either the belief that what they are doing is ok, or what they are doing is justified, deserved, or owed to them…?

They seem to have forgotten the two simple rules: eat right and exercise. Of course that is not really true; they know the rules, but either don’t remember to use them, don’t care, or define them differently. Then there is, to me, the biggest problem… portion control!

We cannot control restaurant portions, and all have inside us that kid who was told to clean his plate because of those ubiquitous starving children in China. I propose we start a “Last Two Bites” program where the last two bites of each item remain on the plate. I have started it, and I feel, at 64 (just today) much better after a meal physically and mentally.

This may be the most critical issue for boomers…

Thanks, great article!
Lawson

[playflute2]

10:54 AM on 08/30/2011

Happy Birthday (a day late), Lawson. You make some good points. My friends are always teasing me that I never finish what is on my plate at a restaurant. The temptation is to say "Have you looked at yourself (naked) in a mirror lately", but I don't. For me, as a child, it was Armenians, but it was always said with a quirky smile and the portions my Mom gave us were never so large that we couldn't finish them comfortably. (Except lima beans, which is a whole other story)

[Lawson Meadows]

12:18 AM on 08/31/2011

It's just another B'day, but thanks! Say, what's the problem with lima beans? The beat butter beans hands down! :)

[Kim Cooper]

04:13 PM on 08/29/2011

Stop demonizing fat people!!!! I am SICK OF IT!!!!!! I am tired of diets, boring food and people telling me I'm no good, gonna die etc! There is a reason why people lose weight and can't keep it off, you can't stick to it for life because things happen and you fall off the wagon. That's just how life is! I think obesity industry is involved in this demonizing....someone needs to look into that!

[Lucky S7even]

06:21 PM on 08/29/2011

you can't stop trying though. it's important to always keep trying. in grad school when i was broke and hungry, i did some personal training on the side. it's really cool to see someone defeat obesity and get on a path that makes them happy. it's not about fad diets, it's about consistent good diet.

[playflute2]

10:22 PM on 08/29/2011

Hi! Kim. I didn't feel like Barbara was demonizing fat people. She was offering some thoughts (to take or leave) about the negative effects obesity can have on a person's life. You're right. Diets & boring food will not help, but real lifestyle changes will. And going one day at a time will help. Take care of yourself and enjoy your life.

[spawoman]

01:56 PM on 08/29/2011

This is such an important message, Barbara, that cannot be repeated enough. My challenge is with travel, which we do frequently. As I write this we are in Switzerland where we a) rented an apartment instead of staying at a hotel so we could eat two meals a day that we prepare, thus controlling calories and portions, b) have an active vacation with lots of hiking and climbing, c) maintain an agreed-upon limit of wine intake, and c) if we want a dessert we share one.

Our country has had a huge political argument about health care, and obesity was given a limited part of the discussion. If we as a nation don't take charge of our waistlines, we will be ruined financially both as individuals and as a country.

Someone earlier commented that the suggestions in the article were things that have been said before. I think what you demonstrate, though, is that these are simple things that everyone can do. Often people get focused on fad diets and crazy methods to lose weight, when in fact it is a matter of controlling portions and getting active (unless there's a medical reason that needs to be addressed). By the way, over here in Switzerland, we routinely encounter trim, fabulous-looking people on our hikes who are WAY older than we are. It's inspiring!

[Kim Cooper]

04:16 PM on 08/29/2011

Yeah, they all have healthcare too...right??

[Sally Prangley]

01:32 PM on 08/29/2011

I so agree with your goal of moving the body every day and eating less, Barbara. It's simple common sense, but it's hard in our super-sized food and car-based economy in the U.S. That's why I like Nike's advertising tagline of "Just do it" because it cuts through all excuses in relation to exercise. Maybe we need to add another line, "Don't do it" when it comes to eating most restaurant sized-portions of food and driving to all our destinations...

[Phytoresearcher]

01:20 PM on 08/29/2011

There are non pharmaceutical preventative actions that are very effective against the diseases of aging and obesity. In the Harvard Dr Sinclair study a compound called transmax resveratrol was found to increase the life span of obese mice by 31%, and prevent all of the common diseases associated with aging and obesity. Transmax was tested against diabetes in a human clinical trial by the Albert Einstein Medical College and found to greatly improve glucose tolerance, which could mean that diabetics could escape the serious side effects such as blindness and amputations, and increase mitochondrial function. Resveratrol has also been shown in over 5,000 published peer reviewed studies to have other life extension effects by virtue of its ability to up regulate the expression of the so-called anti aging genes, the Sirtuins.

[Madgew]

10:42 AM on 08/29/2011

Agreed. Also working on balance is very important as well. Core, core core. Thanks Barbara as always.

[playflute2]

10:27 AM on 08/29/2011

Hi! Barbare, A thought provoking article. Unfortunately, I think you may be 'preaching to the choir' in that the folk who really need to read this most likely will not. Those of us who are reading it are already health conscious and working to maintain good health.

[Barbara Hannah Grufferma]

10:40 AM on 08/29/2011

I know, I know, I know. It's disheartening, indeed. The best thing you (and all of us) can do is to help spread this message. Share this article on FB, Twitter, or email. Recommend it. Get people thinking about it in terms of their wallets and maybe we'll get somewhere. It is a daunting challenge but one I will continue to focus on.
All best,
Barbara

[innerpuppie]

10:23 AM on 08/29/2011

What I just read, I've read for dozens of years by various authors. I'm waiting for someone to say something that I haven't heard before. If it seems 'same-old-same-old' to me, I can just imagine how it impresses those who need to change their lifestyle and haven't. Someone, somewhere, needs to come up with a better, and different, approach to weight loss for those of us 50+ because, I fear, everything else is falling on deaf ears.

I looked around me in Walmart the last time I went. I couldn't find ONE person who wasn't at least chubby and that included the teenagers. I live on the Canadian border - the thin folks I saw were Canadians (they DO have a teeny accent☺).

So, unless someone comes up with something other than making lists of the health risks and a list of things people need to do to lose weight - I'm here to tell you that you are blowing in the wind.

[caralon3]

03:39 PM on 08/29/2011

Innerpuppy as a Canadian, I always thought that is was you yanks that has the "teeny accent" LOL.
Before deciding some 50 years ago to drop some excess weight, I mentioned to my Doctor that I was going to go on a diet-- he replied "that won't work" What do you recommend as an alternative I asked? His reply, "lifestyle change". So I did that, dropped 70 excess pounds and kept it off. What was tough was staying with the program through the loser's cycle, where, after dropping a few pounds, I hit a plateau for several days before dropping a few more pounds. That plateau recurred several times before I hit my weight loss goal -- those were really hard for me to get through. At age 78, I eat right, swim 1 to 1-1/2 miles every day and survived 7 major surgeries in the last 8 years. All the medical folks told me being trim & in good physical condition saved my life --- pretty good return on the effort eh?

[innerpuppie]

05:14 PM on 08/29/2011

Great return - and - yeah, I probably have a teeny accent, too☺.

[robert horwitz]

09:46 AM on 08/29/2011

Barbara since you mentioned Bill Clinton in regard to his ongoing campaign of healthy eating due to his health problems. This reminds me of a time before he even gave this any thought. I had heard the story that if Bill Clinton had been considered the Father of our Country instead of George Washington instead of the "Eagle" becoming our National Bird it would have been the "Chicken McNugget".

[Barbara Hannah Grufferma]

10:00 AM on 08/29/2011

Great comment, Robert . . . and a great point. Pres. Clinton, like so many others over 50 (including me) didn't realize the importance of good nutrition and weight control until SOMETHING HAPPENED. In his case, it was heart disease. But, he wisely embraced a program of weight control and fitness that has become an important daily part of his life. He may not have set a good example way back when . . . but he certainly is now.
All best,
Barbara

[robert horwitz]

10:44 AM on 08/29/2011

Thanks Barbara Bob

[playflute2]

10:25 AM on 08/29/2011

LOL. Thanks, Robert. :)

[robert horwitz]

10:44 AM on 08/29/2011

Thanks play Bob

[D. A. Wolf]

09:41 AM on 08/29/2011

This is such a huge and critical issue, Barbara. I'm so glad you're addressing it. I firmly believe that what we are eating (the quality of the ingredients and food "products") is as important as how much, as we believe we're making the only food choices we can on limited budgets and with equally limited access to alternatives in some areas.

I watched my own aging mother suffer in so many ways from obesity, a growing problem with age, until its complications finally killed her.

I worry for us, for our children, for the absurd burdens in terms of health care costs, and for the waste of human potential. We CAN change. We MUST insist that the food industry provide healthier (non-steroidal, non-antibiotic) alternatives, at affordable prices.

And a great deal can be done through education. We simply don't realize what we're putting in our mouths, not to mention the fact that some affordable (and tasty) options are available.

http://dailyplateofcrazy.com/2011/07/09/are-you-fat-obesity-in-america-on-the-rise/

[Barbara Hannah Grufferma]

10:02 AM on 08/29/2011

Thanks for your comment, D.A. Yes, we must demand that the food industry, and its powerful Washington lobby, change. But, before that even happens we need to get people to understand how crucial weight control really is, and how relatively easy it is to achieve. It's a matter of educating the general public and showing them how to do it without getting overwhelmed.
All best,
Barbara

[Thaag Tidestalker]

02:42 PM on 08/29/2011

It's kind of a vicious circle. Those of us on very limited food budgets can't really afford to eat healthy in order to show the food lobbies that their overprocessed crap is killing us. So many people look at us working poor and just think we're lazy, when in all actuality our only affordable choice is slow, fattening poison.