Effect of obesity on health-related quality of life among Appalachian elderly

Background: There is a paucity of research on health behaviors, health status, and overall health-related quality of life among Appalachian elderly. Identifying factors among older adults that place them at risk for low health-related quality of life is important for targeting unmet health needs and guiding community efforts to help improve population health. Methods: For this study, we examined the relationship between obesity and health-related quality of life among Appalachians aged 65 years or older using the 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data. Results: Our results showed that obese elderly Appalachians report poorer self-rated health and more days of poor physical health compared with their nonobese counterparts. Conclusion: The goals put forward in Healthy People 2010 include the reduction of obesity and enhancement of quality of life. If such health disparities are to be eliminated and quality of life enhanced, a sustained effort to identify their determinants among Appalachian elderly is needed.