| This dissertation examines two issues related to obesity in older Europeans. First, it evaluates the effects of excessive body weight on health, utilization of medical care and labor force participation among older populations in Europe, and compares the effects across the different nations. Second, it analyzes risk factors for obesity and their interactions with environmental and societal variation across European countries. The dissertation concludes with a review of strategies and approaches for the prevention and management of obesity through public policy. Practices and experiences in different countries are examined along with an analysis of institutional structure, participants, functions, and areas of action in policymaking concerned with obesity control.; Drawing from nationally representative samples of the non-institutionalized population aged 50 and above in ten European countries, I find that obesity is associated with significantly poorer health, medical care and employment outcomes with effects similar across countries. Obesity has stronger links to labor force participation among women, especially for retirement. About one tenth of disease prevalence and ill health can be explained by obesity, which exceeds the contribution of risk factors like smoking and aging.; Lack of regular physical activity is associated with higher obesity rates, particularly among women. The difference in predicted obesity rates between least and most physically active women is almost double, with substantially lower obesity even from moderate-intensity physical activity. The mechanism of the food-related weight gain is likely to differ between many European populations and the U.S., as the obese in Europe eat primarily at home. Low education explains about one fifth of obesity prevalence in women and one-sixth in men, exceeding the attendant contributions of other behavioral and societal risk factors. This study found no evidence that institutional and cultural differences across European nations attenuate or exacerbate the effect of SES or physical activity on obesity.; One of key elements of any preventive strategy for obesity is health education and health promotion. Another important tool for government intervention is economic policy that uses taxes/subsidies and regulation of production to improve social welfare. Policies on obesity worldwide have moved away from using the approaches focused exclusively on health education or the individual awareness approach towards addressing the environmental factors of obesity. Market failures like externalities of obesity and incomplete information invite government action to address the obesity problem, yet areas of action are multiple, intervention effectiveness are uncertain, which calls for further extensive research on obesity. |
