Costs
A recent study estimated annual medical spending due to overweight and obesity (BMI > 25) to be as much as $92.6 billion in 2002 dollars (9.1% of U.S. health expenditures). Average annual costs of medical care are 37% ($732) higher for obese patients than for those of normal weight.¹ Obese individuals spend 36% more on health care services and 77% more on medications than do people of normal weight, incurring costs greater than those of smokers or problem drinkers. ²
The CDC conservatively estimates that the total costs of obesity in the United States exceeded $117 billion in 2001. Indirect costs associated with wages lost by people unable to work because of illness or disability and with future earnings lost by premature death were more than $56 billion—comparable to the economic costs of cigarette spending.
¹ Finkelstein EA, Fiebelkorn IC, Wang G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: How much, and who's paying? Health Affairs Web Exclusive. 2003;W3:219-226. Available at
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.w3.219v1/DC1 .
² Sturm R. 2002 The effects of obesity, smoking, and drinking on medical problems and costs. Health Affairs. 21: 245-53.
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