Weight Issues Move Up Need for Walkers, Canes, Other Devices

[The Straight Story]

Weight Issues Move Up Need for Walkers, Canes, Other Devices

ScienceDaily (July 28, 2010) — Obese older adults are more likely to use walkers, canes and other mobility devices at a younger age, and may run the risk of using them incorrectly, according to new research from Purdue University.

"Baby Boomers are coming of age and obesity is an epidemic for this population as well," said Karis Pressler, a doctoral student in sociology and gerontology and the project's lead author. "This research shows that if obesity continues at this rate, we are going to see an increase in the use of assistive devices, which can be costly to individuals and the health-care system. Reliance on assistive devices can affect everyday life in multiple ways, from how you bathe, to how you dress, to how you move.

"If people don't want to be reliant on these devices in the future, they need to realize how obesity heightens one's risk of becoming disabled and affects how a person will compensate for that disability."

Other studies have evaluated the use of assistive devices, but this study is different because it follows more than 1,000 individuals, ages 65 and older, and tracks both their body weight and use of assistive devices for 10 years. The data is from a national survey about Medicare patients. The findings are published in the summer issue of The Gerontologist.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728121331.htm

This harms us ALL. Costs us all more because of medical costs, then we have to have walkers/canes/etc made in china with slave labor and shipped across the ocean (burning tons of fuel), then they are shipped via truck all over the US (more fuel, more global warming and pollutants), and then they have to be in stores (which use electricity - coal probably - and people have to drive to work there as do customers - all adding more pollution).

Your weight is hurting us all. Now we can regulate you.

[itsrobert]

1. Soon, they will be floating around in chairs hovercrafting and

sipping their food through a straw.

[snooper2]

3. that movie's been done

[snooper2]

2. Some Quick Workouts for your Busy Life

http://www.the-fitness-motivator.com/quick-workouts.html

No reason we need to consume as much food as we do...no reason for us to be an unhealthy nation...

I've gained probably 20lbs since my daughter was born last Nov. Time to lose the belly....


No time for a long workout session? Try doing a few quick workouts and reap the same rewards! While motivation can be a big hurdle to our fitness routine, finding time for workouts is always a challenge. Driving to the gym to exercise can easily turn a quick workout into an entire evening. I usually schedule my long run days (>1-hour) 2-3 weeks in advance, just to fit them in.

But not all exercise routines need hours of your time. Many of us spend more time getting to and from the gym than we spend actually at the gym. It’s the workout time we want. Even if it’s only a few minutes here and a few minutes there…it all adds up. Here are some ideas for a few quick workouts that will help you bolster your routine without cramming your calendar:

http://www.the-fitness-motivator.com/quick-workouts.html

[The Straight Story]

4. Meh, just ban overweight people from fast food places. Cause bans are the way to go I hear

Freedom sucks for those poor souls who use it in ways not approved of in our own personal bible - we gots to save their souls and lives!

Once they accept our plan of salvation all will be well.

Who needs religion? We have Nannys to preach to us, and instead of going door to door, they just pass laws or tax you into submission.

Church and state - just say the law has nothing to do with a book (bible/koran/etc) and you can still make laws that control others based on your own personal 'beliefs'.

[Tailormyst]

5. self-delete

my sarcasm meter was momentarily on the fritz.

[The Straight Story]

6. kick for the evening crowd (nt)