Obesity and Falls Incidents among Elderly Community Dwellers: Umbrella Review of Salient Peer Reviewed Research Observations and Emergency Services Intervention Implications

Abstract

Ray Marks

Obesity prevalence, increasing rapidly among older populations has many health implications including disabling falls associated orthopedic consequences. This brief specifically examines whether obese adults are at increased risk for injurious falls and possible bone fractures requiring timely and insightful emergency services responses and salient secondary falls prevention directives, and if so, what preventive approaches other than medication would be recommended to avert one or more future injurious falls in those with concomitant type 2 diabetes and/or osteosarcopenia. It also examines if a fall can engender a heightened obese state in its own right and a possible associated link to further osteosarcopenia, a debilitating aging condition. Based on relevant literature located in key databases and published predominantly in the time periods 2010- 2026 using the search terms: emergency medicine, falls, obesity ,fractures, and intervention among others, data revealed: 1) A possible increased risk of falling and fracturing a bone in older obese adults. 2) Most falls determinants identified in this regard are preventable. 3) Falls may pose a possible unrecognized risk factor for bone fractures in the face of type 2 diabetes/ osteosarcopenic obesity or its exacerbation. 4) Minimizing excess body weight, controlling any tendency to adopt a sedentary lifestyle, as well as advocating for vitamin D supplements where indicated will likely reduce overall health costs and suffering attributable to injurious falls as well as recurrent falls among the older obese population especially if thoughtfully delivered by first responders and attending emergency medicine personnel.

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