The effects of obesity raised costs in every category of care: inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drugs.
Increases in medical expenditures due to obesity were higher for adults covered by public health insurance programs ($2,868) than for those having private health insurance ($2,058)
.
Does obesity raise health care costs?
Obesity Costs Are Rising
Overall
Spending on obesity-related conditions accounted for an estimated 8.5 percent of Medicare spending, 11.8 percent of Medicaid spending, and 12.9 percent of private-payer spending.
Why does obesity increase healthcare costs?
Obesity can lead to Type 2 diabetes, chronic heart disease, hypertension, and many other syndromes and diseases that are covered by Medicaid and Medicare.
As obesity has increased, so has the incidence of these diseases
, thereby increasing the cost of healthcare.
How does obesity affect patient recovery and the entire healthcare system?
Obesity affects the pharmacokinetics of the body, which
can lead to patients requiring more frequent administration or higher doses of medication, as well as more frequent care and vital sign monitoring by staff
. There also may be non-reimbursable treatment.
How does obesity and being overweight impact health care utilization spending among the elderly?
Principal Findings.
The elderly men who were overweight or obese at age 65 had 6–13 percent more lifetime health care expenditures than the same age cohort within normal weight range at age 65
. Elderly women who were overweight or obese at age 65 spent 11–17 percent more than those in a normal weight range.
What is the public health impact of overweight and obesity in the United States?
Health Risks
Epidemiological studies show an
increase in mortality
associated with overweight and obesity. Individuals who are obese (BMI > 30) have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of premature death from all causes compared to individuals with a BMI in the range of 20 to 25.
How much do obese people spend on healthcare?
Estimates of the medical cost of adult obesity in the United States (U.S.) range from
$147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year
. The majority of the spending is generated from treating obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, among others.
How does obesity affect the US economy?
In 2016, chronic diseases driven by the risk factor of obesity and overweight accounted for $480.7 billion in direct health care costs in the U.S., with an additional $1.24 trillion in indirect costs due to
lost economic productivity
.
How does obesity affect the community?
The High Cost of Excess Weight
No less real are the social and emotional effects of obesity, including
discrimination, lower wages, lower quality of life and a likely susceptibility to depression
.
How does obesity affect nursing?
The increasing number of patients with obesity, and the severity of patient obesity,
increases nursing workload by affecting nursing time needed to deliver care
. An increased number of nurses, particularly with increased clinical skill, are needed to deliver care meeting these increased needs.
How does childhood obesity influence a person’s health and a country’s health care system?
While obesity itself is not a chronic condition, it is
a risk factor for four of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. — coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke, and cancer
. (1) Obesity and physical inactivity account for more than 300,000 premature deaths each year in the U.S.
Why is obesity a national health priority?
Obesity
increases the risk of many chronic and potentially lethal diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes
. Yet many of these diseases are preventable with attention to lifestyle factors including proper nutrition and regular exercise.
Why has obesity increased?
The findings confirm what several recent research studies have found: Many Americans have gained significant weight since the COVID-19 crisis started,
likely fueled by an increase in sedentary behavior, stress and troubles such as job and income loss that make healthy eating harder
.
Is obesity an individual health problem or a public health problem?
Obesity is considered a top
public health concern
, due to the high level of morbidity and mortality in the United States [26]. It was reported that medical costs for obesity accounted for 40% of the healthcare budget in 2006.
What is the biggest burden in healthcare?
So where is
obesity
placing the biggest financial burden on healthcare systems around the world? Perhaps unsurprisingly, according to the research, the United States has to spend the most money battling the bulge.
How is obesity affecting the world?
Obesity has a major impact on national economies by
reducing productivity and life expectancy and increasing disability and health care costs
. In 2016, more than 2 billion people worldwide were overweight or obese, and over 70 percent of them lived in low- or middle-income countries.
How does obesity affect mental and emotional health?
Stigma is a fundamental cause of health inequalities, and obesity stigma is associated with significant physiological and psychological consequences, including
increased depression, anxiety and decreased self-esteem
. It can also lead to disordered eating, avoidance of physical activity and avoidance of medical care.
Why is obesity an economic issue?
Obesity affects poor households far more than their richer neighbours – and the cost of eating healthily is a very practical reason why. And, as the US economist Richard McKenzie has pointed out,
much of the rise of obesity is precisely a consequence of free-market economics
.
