Asymmetric effects of obesity on loneliness among older Germans. Longitudinal findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe

TY - JOUR

T1 - Asymmetric effects of obesity on loneliness among older Germans. Longitudinal findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe

AU - Hajek, André

AU - König, Hans-Helmut

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine whether the onset and the end of obesity was associated with loneliness.METHOD: Nationally representative longitudinal data from Germany were taken from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (wave 5 to wave 7; n = 10,446 observations in the analytical sample). Using the three item loneliness scale (UCLA), loneliness was measured. According to the WHO thresholds, obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Asymmetric fixed effects (FE) regressions were used.RESULTS: Conventional FE regression analysis revealed that changes in obesity status were associated with changes in loneliness (men: β = -.19, p < .05; women: β = .19, p < .05). Asymmetric FE regressions showed that in men the onset of obesity was associated with a decrease in loneliness (β = -.31, p < .05), whereas the end of obesity was not associated with loneliness. Asymmetric FE regressions showed that in women, the onset of obesity was associated with an increase in loneliness (β = .33, p < .01), whereas the end of obesity was not associated with loneliness.CONCLUSION: Findings showed that the onset of obesity has different consequences in terms of loneliness for older women and men in Germany, whereas the end of obesity was not associated with changes in loneliness scores. We recommend that future studies should distinguish between the onset and the end of obesity - which comes along with important practical implications. When older women report transitions to obesity, efforts to prevent loneliness may be of importance.

AB - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine whether the onset and the end of obesity was associated with loneliness.METHOD: Nationally representative longitudinal data from Germany were taken from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (wave 5 to wave 7; n = 10,446 observations in the analytical sample). Using the three item loneliness scale (UCLA), loneliness was measured. According to the WHO thresholds, obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Asymmetric fixed effects (FE) regressions were used.RESULTS: Conventional FE regression analysis revealed that changes in obesity status were associated with changes in loneliness (men: β = -.19, p < .05; women: β = .19, p < .05). Asymmetric FE regressions showed that in men the onset of obesity was associated with a decrease in loneliness (β = -.31, p < .05), whereas the end of obesity was not associated with loneliness. Asymmetric FE regressions showed that in women, the onset of obesity was associated with an increase in loneliness (β = .33, p < .01), whereas the end of obesity was not associated with loneliness.CONCLUSION: Findings showed that the onset of obesity has different consequences in terms of loneliness for older women and men in Germany, whereas the end of obesity was not associated with changes in loneliness scores. We recommend that future studies should distinguish between the onset and the end of obesity - which comes along with important practical implications. When older women report transitions to obesity, efforts to prevent loneliness may be of importance.

U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2020.1822285

DO - 10.1080/13607863.2020.1822285

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 32962423

VL - 25

SP - 2293

EP - 2297

JO - AGING MENT HEALTH

JF - AGING MENT HEALTH

SN - 1360-7863

IS - 12

ER -