Contribution of Obesity to Polypharmacy in U.S. Older Adults - Summary - MDSpire

Contribution of Obesity to Polypharmacy in U.S. Older Adults

  • By

  • Alissa S. Chen

  • Ashwin K. Chetty

  • John A. Batsis

  • Kasia J. Lipska

  • Alexandra M. Hajduk

  • June 4, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To estimate the proportion of polypharmacy attributable to obesity in a nationally representative sample of U.S. older adults.

Approach:
    Key Findings:
    • 38.7% of the sample had BMI-defined obesity, with 22.6% having class I obesity and 16.1% classes 2–4 obesity.
    • The prevalence of polypharmacy was 41.8%, affecting approximately 22 million older adults.
    • Polypharmacy was more prevalent among those with BMI-defined obesity (51.1%) compared to those without (35.9%).
    • The population attributable fraction (PAF) of polypharmacy due to BMI-defined obesity was 14.8%, corresponding to about 3.3 million older adults.
    Interpretation:

    Obesity accounts for a significant proportion of polypharmacy among older adults, with waist circumference-defined obesity contributing even more.

    Limitations:
    • Reliance on self-reported number of medications.
    • Exclusion of older adults in long-term care settings limits generalizability.
    • Potential unmeasured confounding factors may affect the association.
    • Cross-sectional data limits the ability to determine temporal relationships.
    Conclusion:

    Obesity is a potentially modifiable contributor to polypharmacy in older adults, warranting further investigation into the impact of obesity medications on polypharmacy.

Original Source(s)

Contribution of Obesity to Polypharmacy in U.S. Older Adults

  • by Alissa S. Chen, Ashwin K. Chetty, John A. Batsis, Kasia J. Lipska, Alexandra M. Hajduk

  • June 4, 2026

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