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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