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The impact of obesity on US mortality levels: The importance of age and cohort factors in population estimates

Author

Listed:
  • Masters, R.K.
  • Reither, E.N.
  • Powers, D.A.
  • Yang, Y.C.
  • Burger, A.E.
  • Link, B.G.

Abstract

Objectives. To estimate the percentage of excess death for US Black and White men and women associated with high body mass, we examined the combined effects of age variation in the obesity-mortality relationship and cohort variation in age-specific obesity prevalence. Methods. We examined 19 National Health Interview Survey waves linked to individual National Death Index mortality records, 1986-2006, for age and cohort patterns in the population-level association between obesity and US adult mortality. Results. The estimated percentage of adult deaths between 1986 and 2006 associated with overweight and obesity was 5.0% and 15.6% for Black and White men, and 26.8% and 21.7% for Black and White women, respectively. We found a substantially stronger association than previous research between obesity and mortality risk at older ages, and an increasing percentage of mortality attributable to obesity across birth cohorts. Conclusions. Previous research has likely underestimated obesity's impact on US mortality. Methods attentive to cohort variation in obesity prevalence and age variation in obesity's effect on mortality risk suggest that obesity significantly shapes US mortality levels, placing it at the forefront of concern for public health action.

Suggested Citation

  • Masters, R.K. & Reither, E.N. & Powers, D.A. & Yang, Y.C. & Burger, A.E. & Link, B.G., 2013. "The impact of obesity on US mortality levels: The importance of age and cohort factors in population estimates," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(10), pages 1895-1901.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301379_9
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301379
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    Cited by:

    1. Bencsik, Panka & Lusher, Lester & Taylor, Rebecca, 2021. "Slow Traffic, Fast Food," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 313856, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. McDade, Thomas W. & Meyer, Jess M. & Koning, Stephanie M. & Harris, Kathleen Mullan, 2021. "Body mass and the epidemic of chronic inflammation in early mid-adulthood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    3. Wanchuan Lin & Kathryn McEvilly & Juan Pantano, 2016. "Obesity and sex ratios in the U.S," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 269-292, June.
    4. Richard H. Steckel & Garrett T. Senney, 2015. "Developmental Origins of Cardiovascular Disease: Understanding High Mortality Rates in the American South," Working Papers 15-01, Ohio State University, Department of Economics.
    5. Garrett T. Senney & Richard H. Steckel, 2021. "Developmental Origins of Cardiovascular Disease: Understanding High Mortality Rates in the American South," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Nikoletta Vidra & Maarten J. Bijlsma & Sergi Trias-Llimós & Fanny Janssen, 2018. "Past trends in obesity-attributable mortality in eight European countries: an application of age–period–cohort analysis," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 63(6), pages 683-692, July.
    7. Bencsik, Panka & Lusher, Lester & Taylor, Rebecca L.C., 2023. "Slow Traffic, Fast Food: The Effects of Time Lost on Food Store Choice," IZA Discussion Papers 16036, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Reither, Eric N. & Masters, Ryan K. & Yang, Yang Claire & Powers, Daniel A. & Zheng, Hui & Land, Kenneth C., 2015. "Should age-period-cohort studies return to the methodologies of the 1970s?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 356-365.
    9. Steven A Cohen & Mary L Greaney & Natalie J Sabik, 2018. "Assessment of dietary patterns, physical activity and obesity from a national survey: Rural-urban health disparities in older adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Molly A. Martin & Margaret Gough Courtney & Adam M. Lippert, 2022. "The Risks and Consequences of Skipping Meals for Low-Income Mothers," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(6), pages 2613-2644, December.
    11. Lisa Stolzenberg & Stewart J. D’Alessio & Jamie L. Flexon, 2019. "The Impact of Violent Crime on Obesity," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Richard H. Steckel & Garrett Senney, 2015. "Historical Origins of a Major Killer: Cardiovascular Disease in the American South," NBER Working Papers 21809, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Li, Yaoyue & Wang, Guixin & Li, Guofeng, 2021. "Educational attainment of offspring and obesity among older adults in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    14. Carlo Giovanni Camarda, 2019. "Smooth constrained mortality forecasting," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 41(38), pages 1091-1130.

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