Injuries higher among the obese

Extremely obese people are more likely than normal-weight individuals to injure themselves, contends Huiyun Xiang, an investigator with the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Columbus (Ohio) Children's Research Institute.

Overexertion and falls were the most common causes of nonfatal injuries among obese people in Xiang's study. "Obesity may limit what a person can physically do," Xiang says. "People with such limitations are often at a higher risk for injury than healthy people."

Some 51.7% of the injuries sustained by the obese and extremely obese occurred inside the home. Transportation areas, such as store parking lots, bus stations, and airports, came in a distant second, with 16.3%. More than one-third of the injuries were caused by acute overexertion. Falls (29.9%) were second.

Injury rates reported by people who were overweight--but not obese--were similar to those of normal-weight participants. Results showed that 16.3% of overweight men and 12.3% of overweight women sustained injuries, compared to 16.8% of normal-weight men and 11.3% of normal-weight women. Underweight participants endured the least number of mishaps.

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