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Obesity Costs Swell to 10% of Health Spending

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 28, 2009 1:23 AM CDT

(Newser) – The medical cost of obesity has almost doubled over the last decade to $147 billion annually, a new study finds. Treating obesity-related disorders now accounts for almost 10% of the total spending on health care, reports Bloomberg. Each obese person costs the government or insurers an average of $1,429—or 42%—more each year than people of normal weight.

"Obesity and with it diabetes are the only major health problems that are getting worse in this country, and they're getting worse rapidly," warned the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC, which funded the study, found that the incidence of obesity has more than doubled over the last 30 years and that one in three Americans is now obese.

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (2)]

One in three Americans is now obese and the cost of treating obesity related disorders is putting a massive strain on health budgets. (Shutter Stock)

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Although health reform may be necessary to address health inequities and rein in rising spending, real savings are more likely to be achieved through reforms that reduce the prevalence of obesity and related risk factors. - CDC study authors

Unless you address obesity, you're never going to address rising health care costs. - Eric Finkelstein, a health economist
at research group RTI International

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

Toon

Jul 28, 2009 7:56 AM CDT

Older people tend to be heavier and older people tend to have more health issues is that factored in? Poorer people tend to be heavier and also tend to put off going to the doctor because of lack of health insurance, has that been factored in? Some times poor health results in less ability to exercise, have they accounted for high cost conditions that contribute to being over weight. And finally, since there is much blame and little explaining, is this an attempt to shift attention from the fat wallet syndrome that adds not 5% but 30% to the cost of health care? I like JOjo's idea but may I add the money should go to lowering the cost of fresh produce. Let's stop subsidizing the production of high fructose corn syrup and make things like carrots and apples some of the cheapest food around.

AllisonMW

Jul 28, 2009 7:41 AM CDT

Yes, I'll admit, I'm 30 pounds overweight, but I work out (probably much more than a lot of smaller people) and have started cutting calories, and I've lost 25 pounds over the last 10 months-1 year. But every time I go to the doctor, from my OB-GYN to an internist, they always order EKGs, stress tests, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, etc, just b/c I'm overweight, and the tests always come back perfect, literally. So those are tests my insurance company (BCBS) has had to pay for, for nothing, no signs or symptoms, just prejudice disguised as "medical concern," IMO. Doing that could be one of the reasons for high insurance costs. Ironically, the one condition that I am at risk for (runs in my family) is hypothyroidism, they are reluctant to test for...in one doctor's words: "not all obesity is caused by thyroid problems." But I have a family history of the disease! Yes, that doctor was replaced by another one in the practice.

Jojo

Jul 28, 2009 7:04 AM CDT

Slap a $5 tax on boxes of Twinkies, Ho-Ho's, and bags of Cheetos and problem solved.

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obesity • health care • health care costs • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • RTI International

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