TY - JOUR PY - 2016// TI - Obesity and falls in a prospective study of older men: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study JO - Journal of aging and health A1 - Hooker, Elizabeth R. A1 - Shrestha, Smriti A1 - Lee, Christine G. A1 - Cawthon, Peggy M. A1 - Abrahamson, Melanie A1 - Ensrud, Kris A1 - Stefanick, Marcia L. A1 - Dam, Thuy-Tien L. A1 - Marshall, Lynn M. A1 - Orwoll, Eric S. A1 - Nielson, Carrie M. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate fall rates across body mass index (BMI) categories by age group, considering physical performance and comorbidities.

METHOD: In the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study, 5,834 men aged ≥65 reported falls every 4 months over 4.8 (±0.8) years. Adjusted associations between BMI and an incident fall were tested using mixed-effects models.

RESULTS: The fall rate (0.66/man-year overall, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.65, 0.67]) was lowest in the youngest, normal weight men (0.44/man-year, 95% CI = [0.41, 0.47]) and greatest in the oldest, highest BMI men (1.47 falls/man-year, 95% CI = [1.22, 1.76]). Obesity was associated with a 24% to 92% increased fall risk in men below 80 (ptrend ≤.0001, p for interaction by age =.03). Only adjustment for dynamic balance test altered the BMI-falls association substantially.

DISCUSSION: Obesity was independently associated with higher fall rates in men 65 to 80 years old. Narrow walk time, a measure of gait stability, may mediate the association.

© The Author(s) 2016.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0898-2643 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0898264316660412 ID - ref1 ER -