MITIGATING EUROPEAN
SENIOR POPULATION OBESITY THROUGH A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE
AND
URBAN ENVIRONMENT
E. INELMEN, E.M. INELMEN*, M.L. GAZERRO** AND G. SECCO**
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
*Researcher, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Geriatrics Section,
University of Padua, Italy
** Associated Professor, Department of Geography, University of Padua, Italy
** Researcher, Department of Geography, University of Padua, Italy
During a presentation in the GEOMED Conference in Irsee this year
(GAZERRO et al., 2004), the authors argued that to improve the life quality of the senior population living in urban areas,
“green areas” should be rehabilitated in order to facilitate their need for physical activity.
Introduction
PHILOSOPHY
GEOGRAPHY
MEDICINE ECONOMY
TECHNOLOGY
POLITICS
EDUCATION
spaceformation
prevention
conformation
contribution
responsability
awarness
governance
LAW
PSYCHOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY
WELFARE
food
sheltersecurity
leisurefreedom
equality
solidarity
obesity
hills >>> plateaus
senior
Proposal
identification
interpolation
of the attributes single points on the surface
of the attributes missing points on the surface
aggregation of the attributes particular areas on the surface
induction of the common
Wetland
Forest
Agriland
Farmland
Residence
Commerce
Industry
Coordinates
Use
Volume
x,y,z
salinity, sex,..
GEOGRAPHY
attributes in areas on the surface
Obesity has reached epidemic levels not only in Western societies but also in non-industrialized countries.
Obesity is increasing at all ages and it is becoming an important pathology in Geriatrics because it causes disability and because of its life quality impairment consequences Inelmen et al, 2003
Background
The sharp rise in the prevalence of obesity
almost in all the world has led to suggestions
that the current eating environment promotes
excessive energy intake
PETERS ET AL, 2002; ROLLS,2003
Inexpensive high-energy
variety of palatable foods
meals outside home
snacking
large portion sizes!!!OVER-EATING...
ROLLS ET AL, 2004
The general increase in
portion sizes
might have played an important role
in the rapid rise of
obesity prevalence
BELLISLE,2003
SnacksSweetenersDesserts
Candyhad risen
dramatically .......
in recent yearsExcessive variety
in the habitual diet
GALLO,1997
Use of the sample of the
European senior population
(Euronut-SENECA, 1991)
in order to highlight the relation
between urban environment,
lifestyle,
physical activity
and obesity
Method
The most used anthropometric index to define obesity, also in seniors, is the
BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)
which is the ratio of the weight to the squared height.
WEIGHT (KG) / HEIGHT (M)2
95 / 1.73*2 = 31.6
Classification of overweight and obesity (according to BMI) BMI (KG/M2)
UNDERWEIGHT <18.5
NORMALWEIGHT 18.5-24.9
OVERWEIGHT 25.0-29.9
OBESITY ≥ 30
LIGIO’99 LINEE GUIDA ITALIANE OBESITA’
The analysis of food consumption
has recently emerged as a useful
tool for elucidating relationships
between:
DIET
WEIGHT GAIN
HEALTH
SLATTERY ET AL, 1998; HU ET AL, 1999, HU ET AL, 2000
The relation between
dietary variety
and
body weight
might depend on thetypes of food consumed
Mean BMI (Body Mass Index) of the senior population (men) in the 18 European cities
according to EURONUT-SENECA
Results
Mean BMI (Body Mass Index) of the senior population (women) in the 18 European cities
according to EURONUT-SENECA
HAMME BELGIUM 26ROSKILDE DENMARK 25CHATEAU RENAULT, AMBOISEFRANCE 24HAGUENAU FRANCE 27ROMANS FRANCE 25MARKOPOULO GREECE 28ANOGIA, ARCHANES GREECE 25MONOR HUNGARY 27FARA SABINA, ITALY 30CULEMBORG THE NETHERLANDS 26ELVERUM NORWAY 24VILA FRANCA DE XIRA PORTUGAL 27BETANZOS SPAIN 28YVERDON SWITZERLAND 26BURGDORF SWITZERLAND 27BELLINZONA SWITZERLAND 27PADUA ITALY 25
BMI
Comparing the different dietary habits it was found that even though the diet can be considered healthy
according to the
Food Guide Pyramid
as it is the case of the Mediterranean diet,
overweight and obesity was frequent
To stop the worldwideobesity
diets
are undoubtedlynot the answer!
LEBLANC,2003
DIETSNO
Discussion
Instead, a focus on
healthy active living
within families, schools, communities
and at all levels of government
should be adopted.
Healthy food choices should be promotedLEBLANC,2003
Urban environment must be enriched by conforming the “suburban layout” to the “natural landscape”
using “meandering routes” with slight slopes
that make seniors enjoy walking in the open air and so will facilitate their physical exercise.
Life expectancy is in the increase in all countries as a consequence of improvements in the
health expenditures.
Paradoxically the increase in life expectancy is putting pressure
on the welfare budget originally designed to improve the
health standing.
Conclusion
To mitigate human obesity
- as lack of physical activity is one of the major factors -
* alternative budgeting polices need to be proposed
* healthier lifestyles have to be supported
Multidisciplinary approach ....
Euronut-SENECA investigators. Description of survey towns and populations, in “Eur J Clin Nutr”, 1991, 45 (Suppl 3), pp. 23-29.
M.L. Gazerro, G. SECCO, E.M. INELMEN, E. INELMEN, Improving Elderly’s Health and Quality of Life through Green Areas, in CD-Presentations: Emerging Issues in Medical Geography, Irsee, 11-15 Agosto 2004.
E.M. INELMEN, G. SERGI, A. COIN, F. MIOTTO, S. PERUZZA AND G. ENZI, Can obesity be a risk factor in elderly people?, in “Obesity reviews”, 2003, 4, pp. 147-155.
US Department of Health and Human Service, Nutrition and your health: dietary guidelines for Americans, Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 4th ed., 1995.
References
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GEOMED 2007
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