{"id":{"repo_id":"vcu","oai_identifier":"oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2206"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vcu/oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2206","repository":{"repo_id":"vcu","name":"Virginia Commonwealth University","base_url":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Obesity and Health Status among Urban vs. Suburban Elderly in Philadelphia and Surrounding Counties","abstract":"Obesity is a dangerous health condition affecting approximately 30% of all Americans and can be attributed to 300,000 deaths a year. Obesity has been found to disproportionately affect Blacks, Latinos, and those with lower SES. Although obesity is a problem for all age groups, its prevalence is highest among those 60-74 years of age. Studies have shown that there is an association between obesity and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancers, and type-2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, chronic health conditions affect 80% of all elderly persons, many times limiting function and decreasing quality of life. This study attempted to find a relationship between obesity and chronic conditions among 1,053 elderly living in Philadelphia and 1,648 elderly living in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. This study also examined the risk for having a chronic condition associated with living in Philadelphia compared to living in the four surrounding counties. Data from the 2002 Household Survey conducted by the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation was used to examine the relationship between obesity and chronic conditions and it was found that obesity was significantly related to having a chronic condition among elderly in both the city and suburbs. Specifically, obesity was related to diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and heart conditions for persons over 60 living in the city and suburbs with an additional association with allergies for elderly living in the city. It was also found that living in the city of Philadelphia was significantly associated with a 50% increased chance for diabetes among persons 60 and over. Future research should first be conducted to design a BMI scale that reflects the decrease in muscle and bone mass associated with aging. After a new scale is devised, research should continue to further investigate the association between obesity and various chronic conditions in the elderly.","abstract_html":"Obesity is a dangerous health condition affecting approximately 30% of all Americans and can be attributed to 300,000 deaths a year. Obesity has been found to disproportionately affect Blacks, Latinos, and those with lower SES. Although obesity is a problem for all age groups, its prevalence is highest among those 60-74 years of age. Studies have shown that there is an association between obesity and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancers, and type-2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, chronic health conditions affect 80% of all elderly persons, many times limiting function and decreasing quality of life. This study attempted to find a relationship between obesity and chronic conditions among 1,053 elderly living in Philadelphia and 1,648 elderly living in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. This study also examined the risk for having a chronic condition associated with living in Philadelphia compared to living in the four surrounding counties. Data from the 2002 Household Survey conducted by the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation was used to examine the relationship between obesity and chronic conditions and it was found that obesity was significantly related to having a chronic condition among elderly in both the city and suburbs. Specifically, obesity was related to diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and heart conditions for persons over 60 living in the city and suburbs with an additional association with allergies for elderly living in the city. It was also found that living in the city of Philadelphia was significantly associated with a 50% increased chance for diabetes among persons 60 and over. Future research should first be conducted to design a BMI scale that reflects the decrease in muscle and bone mass associated with aging. After a new scale is devised, research should continue to further investigate the association between obesity and various chronic conditions in the elderly.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Harris, Ockidde Dufayne"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Public Health","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Epidemiology & Community Health","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Paul Mazmanian"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2004-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:54:53Z","subjects":["elderly","obesity","chronic condition","Philadelphia","Pennsylvania","diabetes","aging","Epidemiology","Medicine and Health Sciences","Public Health"],"languages":[],"rights":["© The Author"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1207"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1207","href":"https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1207","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.25772/A6FH-4B17","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Paul Mazmanian"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Harris, Ockidde Dufayne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-07-09T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Epidemiology & Community Health"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Public Health"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["elderly","obesity","chronic condition","Philadelphia","Pennsylvania","diabetes","aging","Epidemiology","Medicine and Health Sciences","Public Health"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© The Author"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://doi.org/10.25772/A6FH-4B17","https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1207"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Obesity is a dangerous health condition affecting approximately 30% of all Americans and can be attributed to 300,000 deaths a year. Obesity has been found to disproportionately affect Blacks, Latinos, and those with lower SES. Although obesity is a problem for all age groups, its prevalence is highest among those 60-74 years of age. Studies have shown that there is an association between obesity and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancers, and type-2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, chronic health conditions affect 80% of all elderly persons, many times limiting function and decreasing quality of life. This study attempted to find a relationship between obesity and chronic conditions among 1,053 elderly living in Philadelphia and 1,648 elderly living in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. This study also examined the risk for having a chronic condition associated with living in Philadelphia compared to living in the four surrounding counties. Data from the 2002 Household Survey conducted by the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation was used to examine the relationship between obesity and chronic conditions and it was found that obesity was significantly related to having a chronic condition among elderly in both the city and suburbs. Specifically, obesity was related to diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and heart conditions for persons over 60 living in the city and suburbs with an additional association with allergies for elderly living in the city. It was also found that living in the city of Philadelphia was significantly associated with a 50% increased chance for diabetes among persons 60 and over. Future research should first be conducted to design a BMI scale that reflects the decrease in muscle and bone mass associated with aging. After a new scale is devised, research should continue to further investigate the association between obesity and various chronic conditions in the elderly."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Obesity and Health Status among Urban vs. Suburban Elderly in Philadelphia and Surrounding Counties"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Paul Mazmanian"],"dc:creator":["Harris, Ockidde Dufayne"],"dc:date.available":["2014-07-09T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Obesity is a dangerous health condition affecting approximately 30% of all Americans and can be attributed to 300,000 deaths a year. Obesity has been found to disproportionately affect Blacks, Latinos, and those with lower SES. Although obesity is a problem for all age groups, its prevalence is highest among those 60-74 years of age. Studies have shown that there is an association between obesity and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancers, and type-2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, chronic health conditions affect 80% of all elderly persons, many times limiting function and decreasing quality of life. This study attempted to find a relationship between obesity and chronic conditions among 1,053 elderly living in Philadelphia and 1,648 elderly living in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. This study also examined the risk for having a chronic condition associated with living in Philadelphia compared to living in the four surrounding counties. Data from the 2002 Household Survey conducted by the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation was used to examine the relationship between obesity and chronic conditions and it was found that obesity was significantly related to having a chronic condition among elderly in both the city and suburbs. Specifically, obesity was related to diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and heart conditions for persons over 60 living in the city and suburbs with an additional association with allergies for elderly living in the city. It was also found that living in the city of Philadelphia was significantly associated with a 50% increased chance for diabetes among persons 60 and over. Future research should first be conducted to design a BMI scale that reflects the decrease in muscle and bone mass associated with aging. After a new scale is devised, research should continue to further investigate the association between obesity and various chronic conditions in the elderly."],"dc:identifier":["https://doi.org/10.25772/A6FH-4B17","https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1207"],"dc:rights":["© The Author"],"dc:subject":["elderly","obesity","chronic condition","Philadelphia","Pennsylvania","diabetes","aging","Epidemiology","Medicine and Health Sciences","Public Health"],"dc:title":["Obesity and Health Status among Urban vs. Suburban Elderly in Philadelphia and Surrounding Counties"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Epidemiology & Community Health"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Public Health"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:54:53Z"}