TY  - JOUR
AB  - Rising temperatures affect human behavior and risk-taking in several domains. However, it is not yet well understood just how ambient temperature shapes risk attitudes. Using data from the large population-based KORA-Fit study (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg) of older people (N=2454), we identify a statistically significant, but very small, positive association between short-term ambient temperature changes and individuals' general willingness to take risks. Health-related risk attitudes, however, show no significant relationship with temperature. These findings support a domain-specific view of risk attitudes, with results remaining consistent for vulnerable individuals with the chronic conditions diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. Overall, our findings suggest that risk attitudes are somewhat stable towards changes in ambient temperature.
AU  - König, A.
AU  - Laxy, M.*
AU  - Peters, A.
AU  - Schneider, A.E.
AU  - Wolf, K.
AU  - Schwettmann, L.
AU  - Wiesen, D.*
C1  - 71920
C2  - 56286
CY  - Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands
TI  - What is the relationship between risk attitudes and ambient temperature? Evidence from a large population-based cohort study.
JO  - Econ. Hum. Biol.
VL  - 55
PB  - Elsevier
PY  - 2024
SN  - 1570-677X
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Retirement is a major life event potentially associated with changes in 
      relevant risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic conditions. This 
      study analyzes the effect of retirement on behavioral and biomedical 
      risk factors for chronic disease, together with subjective health 
      parameters using Southern German epidemiological data. We used panel 
      data from the KORA cohort study, consisting of 11,168 observations for 
      individuals 45–80 years old. Outcomes included health behavior (alcohol,
       smoking, physical activity), biomedical risk factors (BMI, waist-to-hip
       ratio (WHR), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol/HDL 
      quotient, systolic/diastolic blood pressure), and subjective health 
      (SF12 mental and physical, self-rated health). We applied a parametric 
      regression discontinuity design based on age thresholds for pension 
      eligibility. Robust results after p-value corrections for multiple 
      testing showed an increase in BMI in early retirees (at the age of 60) 
      [β = 1.11, corrected p-val. < 0.05] and an increase in CHO/HDL in 
      regular retirees (age 65) [β = 0.47, corrected p-val. < 0.05]. 
      Stratified analyses indicate that the increase in BMI might be driven by
       women and low-educated individuals retiring early, despite increases in
       the level of physical activity. The increase in CHO/HDL might be driven
       by men retiring regularly, alongside an increase in subjective physical
       health. Blood pressure also increased, but the effect differs by 
      retirement timing and sex and is not always robust to sensitivity 
      analysis checks. Our study indicates that retirement has an impact on 
      different risk factors for chronic disease, depending on timing, gender 
      and education. Regular male, early female, and low-educated retirees 
      should be further investigated as potential high-risk groups for 
      worsening risk factors after retirement. Future research should 
      investigate if and how these results are linked: in fact, especially in 
      the last two groups, the increases in leisure time physical activity 
      might not be enough to compensate for the loss of work related physical 
      activity, leading thus to an increase in BMI.
AU  - Pedron, S.
AU  - Maier, W.
AU  - Peters, A.
AU  - Linkohr, B.
AU  - Meisinger, C.
AU  - Rathmann, W.*
AU  - Eibich, P.*
AU  - Schwettmann, L.
C1  - 59443
C2  - 48816
TI  - The effect of retirement on biomedical and behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic disease.
JO  - Econ. Hum. Biol.
VL  - 38
PY  - 2020
SN  - 1570-677X
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The aim of this study is to assess the association between different patterns of Body Mass Index (BMI) development from birth on and later healthcare utilisation and costs in children aged about 10 years based on two birth cohort studies: the GINIplus study (3287 respondents) and the LISAplus study (1762 respondents). Direct costs were estimated using information on healthcare utilisation given by parents in the 10-year follow-up. To meet this aim, we (i) estimate BMI-standard deviation score (BMIZ) trajectories using latent growth mixture models and (ii) examine the correlation between these trajectories and utilisation of healthcare services and resulting costs at the 10-year follow-up. We identified three BMI-trajectories: a normative BMIZ growth class (BMI development almost as in the WHO growth standards), a rapid BMIZ growth up to age 2 years class (with a higher BMI in the first two years of life as proposed by the WHO growth standards) and a persistent rapid BMIZ growth up to age 5 years class (with a higher BMI in the first five years of life as proposed by the WHO growth standards). Annual total direct medical costs of healthcare use are estimated to be on average €368 per child. These costs are doubled, i.e. on average €722 per child, in the group with the most pronounced growth (persistent rapid BMIZ growth up to age 5 years class).
AU  - Batscheider, A.
AU  - Rzehak, P.
AU  - Teuner, C.M.
AU  - Wolfenstetter, S.B.
AU  - Leidl, R.
AU  - von Berg, A.*
AU  - Berdel, D.*
AU  - Hoffmann, B.*
AU  - Heinrich, J.
AU  - GINIplus Study Group (Wichmann, H.-E.
AU  - Heinrich, J.)
AU  - LISAplus Study Group (Wichmann, H.-E.
AU  - Heinrich, J.)
C1  - 27513
C2  - 32707
CY  - Amsterdam
SP  - 56-66
TI  - Development of BMI values of German children and their healthcare costs.
JO  - Econ. Hum. Biol.
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
PB  - Elsevier Science
PY  - 2014
SN  - 1570-677X
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Over the last two decades, the prevalence of obesity has risen worldwide. As obesity is a confirmed risk factor for a number of diseases, its increasing prevalence nurtures the supposition that obesity may present a growing and significant economic burden to society. The objective of this study is to analyse the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and future direct and indirect costs, as well as the correlation between changing BMI and future in(direct) costs. Health care utilisation and productivity losses were based on data from 2581 participants aged 25-65years (1994/95) from two cross-sectional, population-representative health surveys (MONICA/KORA-survey-S3 1994/95 and follow-up KORA-survey-F3 2004/05) in Augsburg, Germany. The predicted average adjusted total direct costs per year and per user were estimated to be €1029-(healthy weight), €1093-(overweight) and €1040-(obesity). There are significantly greater future costs in the utilisation of general practitioners per user and per year at higher obesity levels (€72; €75; €96). The average total direct costs per person for those who stay in the same BMI class are €982, €1000 and €973. An overweight participant who becomes obese incurs significant costs of internists of €160 compared with those who remain overweight (€124). An overweight user incurs indirect costs of €2474, compared with €2136 for those who remain a healthy weight. There is a trend for higher predicted (in)direct costs when people are overweight or obese compared with healthy weight persons 10years earlier. Potential cost savings could be attained if preventive programs effectively targeted these individuals.
AU  - Wolfenstetter, S.B.
C1  - 6608
C2  - 28963
CY  - Amsterdam, Netherlands
SP  - 127-138
TI  - Future direct and indirect costs of obesity and the influence of gaining weight: Results from the MONICA/KORA cohort studies, 1995-2005.
JO  - Econ. Hum. Biol.
VL  - 10
IS  - 2
PB  - Elsevier
PY  - 2012
SN  - 1570-677X
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Obesity among children and adolescents is a growing public health burden. According to a national reference among German children and adolescents aged 3-17 years, 15% are overweight (including obese) and 6.3% are obese. This study aims to assess the economic burden associated with overweight and obesity in children based on a cross-sectional survey from two birth cohort studies: the GINI-plus - German Infant Nutritional Intervention plus Non-Intervention study (3287 respondents aged 9 to <12 years) and the LISA-plus study - Influence of life-style factors on the development of the immune system and allergies in East and West Germany (1762 respondents aged 9 to <12 years). Using a bottom-up approach, we analyse direct costs induced by the utilisation of healthcare services and indirect costs emerging from parents' productivity losses. To investigate the impact of Body Mass Index (BMI) on costs, we perform various descriptive analyses and estimate a two-part regression model. Average annual total direct medical costs of healthcare use are estimated to be €418 (95% CI [346-511]) per child, split between physician (22%), therapist (29%), hospital (41%) and inpatient rehabilitation costs (8%). Bivariate analysis shows considerable differences between BMI groups: €469 (severely underweight), €468 (underweight), €402 (normal weight), €468 (overweight) and €680 (obese). Indirect costs make up €101 per year on average and tend to be higher for obese children, although this was not statistically significant. Drawing on these results, differences in healthcare costs between BMI groups are already apparent in children.
AU  - Breitfelder, A.
AU  - Wenig, C.M.
AU  - Wolfenstetter, S.B.
AU  - Rzehak, P.
AU  - Menn, P.
AU  - John, J.
AU  - Leidl, R.
AU  - Bauer, C.P.*
AU  - Koletzko, S.*
AU  - Roder, S.*
AU  - Herbarth, O.*
AU  - von Berg, A.*
AU  - Berdel, D.*
AU  - Krämer, U.*
AU  - Schaaf, B.*
AU  - Wichmann, H.-E.
AU  - Heinrich, J.
AU  - GINIplus Study Group (Wichmann, H.-E.
AU  - Heinrich, J.)
AU  - LISAplus Study Group (Behrendt, H.
AU  - Grosch, J.)
C1  - 6203
C2  - 28362
SP  - 302-315
TI  - Relative weight-related costs of healthcare use by children - results from the two German birth cohorts, GINI-plus and LISA-plus.
JO  - Econ. Hum. Biol.
VL  - 9
IS  - 3
PB  - Elsevier B.V.
PY  - 2011
SN  - 1570-677X
ER  -