Page 387 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

354 n OBeSITy

and colon). Life expectancy of obese adults is study found that although attitudes were
lessened substantially than that of someone still negative, they had improved over time.
O of lower weight because of health complica- In a literature review conducted by (Brown,
tions associated with weight gain (Fontaine, 2006), it is important to note that he found
Redden, Wang, Westfall, & Allison, 2003). a paucity of nursing research had been
Psychological health consequences of obe- undertaken on exploring nurse’s attitudes
sity have been documented and range from toward obese patients. In contrast, he found
social isolation, social withdrawal, social that nurses do have negative attitudes and
discrimination, poor self-esteem, negative beliefs about obesity. Several nursing studies
self-image, depression and suicidal thoughts highlight the issue of the nurse’s own body
(Puhl & Brownell, 2003). image or body size being identified as a vari-
From an economic perspective, obe- able influencing underpinning attitudes and
sity appears to be responsible for a substan- beliefs (Hoppe & Ogden, 1997). This body
tial economic burden and has a substantial of research strongly suggests that biased
impact on health care spending (Li & Hooker, attitudes exist among nurses and have the
2010). Health and economic costs attributable potential to be destructive, which can affect
to obesity will further escalate as the cur- the obese person’s psychological well-being.
rent generation of overweight children are Although children have been the focus
likely to become obese adults. The economic of much attention and research, older adults
costs are incurred primarily from expendi- are also becoming overweight or obese at
tures from absenteeism from work because an alarming rate. Moreover, in older people,
of disability and loss of productivity as a being overweight and obese exacerbates
result of premature morbidity and mortal- multiple diseases and leads to frailty, which
ity (Lightwood et al., 2009). Other economic can affect activities of daily living. early
costs are related to the costs of weight-loss identification of obesity in older adults
programs, the human cost of shortening of will enable these individuals to engage in
lives, and the significant impairment of qual- improved healthier lifestyles. Studies have
ity of life caused by obesity. found that obesity is linked with functional
There is overwhelming evidence in the ability leading to decreased mobility, which
literature that obesity is widely articulated can have adverse effects on the quality of
as a stigmatizing condition and society dis- life for older people. A number of longitu-
criminates those who are obese. Research on dinal studies have investigated the possible
weight stigma illuminates that this bias is association between obesity and declining
powerful, pervasive, and difficult to change. mobility in the older adult. Most of these
Knowledge and opinions are often formed studies found that walking, stair climbing,
by our beliefs and people who express nega- and chair rise ability was compromised with
tive perceptions on obesity believe that obe- obesity especially if the body mass index was
sity can be prevented and controlled by the greater than 35 kg/m , and obese women
2
person themselves. These explicit negative were at an increased risk of mobility impair-
attitudes can have a detrimental effect on ment than men (Vincent, Vincent, & Lamb,
the quality of life of obese people and can 2010). A systematic review undertaken by
inhibit and negatively influence these people Witham and Avenell (2010) reviewed the evi-
accessing health services throughout their dence of weight loss interventions designed
lives. Budd, Mariotti, Graff, and Falkenstein to produce sustained weight loss in older
(2009) found in an integrative review that lit- adults. The researchers found that there is
tle evidence was found to suggest that atti- a lack of high-quality evidence to support
tudes of health care professionals toward the efficacy of weight loss programs in older
obesity were negative. encouragingly, the people. Witham and Avenell concluded that