title: Health and health care utilization among obese and diabetic baby boomers and older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine how sociodemographic, health, behavioral, and health care utilization factors are associated with being obese or having diabetes among baby boomers and older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data were drawn from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 3439 baby boomers and older adults included (mean age, 62 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Covariates included sociodemographics, health outcomes, behaviors, and inpatient and outpatient health care utilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore which similar or different covariates were associated with different health states between baby boomers and older adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 8% of baby boomers and 10% of older adults had the twin diagnoses of obesity and diabetes. Having both obesity and diabetes was more common among baby boomers and older adults who were African-American (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79, p = .029 for baby boomers; OR = 3.45, p < .001 for older adults), perceived their general health as fair/poor (OR = 7.67, p < .001; OR = 4.13, p < .001), and utilized outpatient care more often (OR = 8.28, p < .001; OR = 5.35, p = .004). Being obese only was observed less among baby boomers who were current smokers (OR = .45, p < .001), whereas it was observed more among older adults who were former smokers (OR = 1.25, p = .046). Having diabetes only was observed more among baby boomers who had hypertension (OR = 2.44, p = .01), whereas it was observed more among older adults who had very high cholesterol (OR = 2.31, p = .029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identifying chronic disease risk factors during middle age is important for ameliorating further complications in later life. Knowing more about the correlates of obesity and diabetes among different age groups can help health care planners better target preventive health care services.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Systems Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Tennessee, USA. sahn@memphis.edu
authors.forename: SangNam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Matthew Lee
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Justin B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dickerson
authors.forename: Marcia G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ory
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011158:Population Growth; D014481:United States