ipl-logo

Direct Medical Costs Of Obesity

1245 Words5 Pages

Obesity can be simply be defined as too much body fat, or having a body mass index of 30 or higher. Body mass index is a calculation of weight in kilograms divided by the square height in meters, and is a universal screening tool for overweight or obesity (“Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity”). Years ago the BMI scale consisted of three categories: underweight, normal or healthy, and obese. Obesity rates have increased so rapidly that the obesity category had to be expanded. The obese category now consists of obese, severely obese, morbidly obese, and super obese. Today, more than a third of adult Americans are considered clinically obese “causing higher medical costs and a lower quality of life” (“Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity”). …show more content…

Direct medical costs may include preventative, diagnostic, and treatment services related to obesity (“Economic Costs”). The medical costs for people who are obese are on average $1,429 higher than those who have a normal BMI. In 2014 the average cost of cancer per capita was $8,000 with average productivity cost of $3,700 dollars. While the biggest implication is placed on the obese individual, “there are some significant economic costs associated with obesity” for society as well (Stilwell). This in turn places a financial burden on the whole medical care system (“Obesity Rises Among Adults”). In 2008 the medical costs of obesity totaled $147 billion dollars, and by 2010 the staggering costs doubled to $315.8 billion dollars! Obesity also poses problems in less direct ways. Indirect costs include absenteeism, a measure of productivity. Absenteeism is a term used for costs due to employees being absent from work. The annual nationwide productivity costs of obesity related absenteeism alone range between $3.38 billion and $6.38 billion. Another indirect cost that is associated with obesity is fuel consumption “heavier people use more gasoline and jet fuel to move from place to place,” and added weight can; furthermore, require stronger supports (Stilwell). If obesity rates in America are not addressed, the direct and indirect costs could continue to inflate the

Show More
Related

Obesity In The Fat Tax, By Jonathan Rauch

334 Words | 2 Pages

In the article “The Fat Tax,” Jonathan Rauch ironically discusses the new public policy concern with obesity. Although the article is a satire, it’s economic analysis is actually valid. In order to get his point across, Rauch uses sarcasm, appeals to logos, and degrades the issue of obesity to help Americans better understand the “big picture.” Moreover, if the diet of American consumers does not change then maybe advertising more exercise to lose weight will cut down the obesity rate; but to be just as effective, enacting the fat tax will improve health as well.

Read More

Childhood Obesity In Louisiana Case Study

1540 Words | 7 Pages

Childhood obesity increases the risk for adult obesity and other chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and cancer (CDC, 2015). With the risk for such comorbidities, medical resource utility and their expense is quite high. For example, in 2013 the costs associated with overweight and obesity in adolescents were estimated to be about $46 million (American Heart Association, 2013). This does not include other sub-cohorts of children, such as preschool or school-age children, nor does this include the costs associated with childhood obesity-related comorbidities; therefore the economic impact related to childhood obesity is considerably

Read More

Structural Functionalist Theory Of Obesity Essay

535 Words | 3 Pages

Obesity remains a growing epidemic that affects people who continually overindulge, causing weight gain which affects many countries and communities around the world especially the United States. During the last couple decade obesity has doubled and threatened people 's health because of adverse habits of overeating. Due to the advancement of mobile technology, fewer individuals perform physical labor. Instead, many people work from a computer where they spend long hours sitting at a desk consuming junk food non-physicality activity that leads to obesity. Consequently, some of the expense to the community regarding how obesity occurs causing medical complications of diabetes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure which produce expense on the economy.

Read More

Bad Food By Mark Bittman Analysis

1897 Words | 8 Pages

Heavy weight people are no longer the only victims. Obesity related diseases are also targeting thinner people. Professionals have suggested solutions such as taxing unhealthy

Read More

Obesity Vs North Carolina Essay

885 Words | 4 Pages

Merriam Webster dictionary defines obesity as a condition that is characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body and that in an adult is typically indicated by a body mass index of 30 or greater (Merriam-Webster, 2015). In the United States, health costs related to obesity continue to rise and public impact is significant. “Obesity has become a public health issue because the consequences of obesity in terms of higher risk of morbidity and mortality for an individual translate into increased medical care costs, not only for the individual but also for society, and these costs are both large and growing” (Okrent and Alston, 2012). In North Carolina adult obesity rates have increased from 12.3% in 1990 to 29.4% in 2013. North Carolina now ranks eighth in the United States for obesity related diabetes and eleventh for obesity related hypertension (Levi, Segal, Laurent and Rayburn, 2014).

Read More

Essay On National School Lunch Policy

1798 Words | 8 Pages

The annual direct costs of treating childhood obesity in the United States is estimated to be approximately $14.3 billion.14 It is also important to keep in mind that current child obesity could suggest future obese adults, and this would imply future direct costs.14 If providing students with nutritious lunches continues to cause a decline in body mass index, this could help the country with decreasing the amount spent on treating childhood

Read More

Obesity Epidemic Persuasive Essay

604 Words | 3 Pages

Whichever way the outcome of obesity decides to turn in American, there is one industry that would always benefit from people being obese. This industry is known as the American Health Care industry. No matter where the obesity epidemic may lead us, rather it increases or decreases, these companies will profit no matter what. On one end, health companies rack up big bucks in the treatment of obese patients. This is due to the constant medical visits, the frequent use of medications, and the all-around health issues, that all derive from people being overweight.

Read More

Cost Of Obesity Essay

435 Words | 2 Pages

Cost of obesity. Rising health issues related to poor diets such as high rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are public health concerns. The direct and indirect cost of obesity is as high as $147 billion annually in the United Sates (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). In 2006, obese patients spent on an average $1,429 more for their medical care than did people within a normal weight range, that is a 42 percent higher cost for people who are obese. Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers increased spending due to obesity from 6.5 percent in 1998 to 9.1 percent in 2006 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006).

Read More

Supply And Demand Economic Theory And Obesity-Related Disease

864 Words | 4 Pages

States are having higher proportions of their adult population being obese have consequently spent high on Medicare and Medicaid. If the records are anything to go by, then it is clear that vast amounts of resources are spent in addressing this challenge. From the past trends and as most econometric models would project, the proportion of citizens becoming obese is expected to increase in the future unless something is done to address this challenge. Several health practitioners and professionals have come out to call people to action to help in preventing and controlling cases of overweight and obesity (Joel, 2006). It is worthwhile noting that these conditions not only cost the states huge sums of resources, but it also costs the productivity of the affected citizens who have to be off duty to seek medication.

Read More

Why Obesity Matters Essay

662 Words | 3 Pages

According to the study, obesity now costs the global economy $2 trillion

Read More

Obesity Proposal Research Paper

1518 Words | 7 Pages

Obesity is a major problem in the United States, and with all the special privileges given to its people, America has become very lazy. With portion sizes rising and physical activity decreasing, it is easy to see how the rates on obesity has risen over the years in America. Obesity is a major problem that needs to be resolved because it affects all people of every gender, age, and race are at risk of being obese. Obesity rates in America have nearly doubled rather tripled within the last twenty years due to the many privileges that the American people have before us. Something must be done to overcome decrease the

Read More

Obesity And Persuasive Essay

1244 Words | 5 Pages

Banksy (n.d.), Britain’s famous “guerrilla” street artist, humorously states, “A recent survey of North American males found 42% were overweight, 34% were critically obese and 8% ate the survey”. It adds to an expected 112,000 preventable passing away cases annually, it can increase the risk for many serious health conditions. Obese grown ups are to have big chance for many serious health conditions, similar to high observant in blood pressure, cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and other different diseases because of the fats that is stored in the body, also the body cant function properly because of the consumption of it. Consequently, obesity poses a major public health challenge. As such, major funds are spent each year in a search for cure.

Read More

Obesity Argument Essay

814 Words | 4 Pages

In the majority of the nations, the prime purpose behind obesity and overweight is the high cost of healthy nourishment, contrasted with that of junk food and soda pops. Some may even expect that a supper at KFC or McDonald's would cost not as much as cooking a full course dinner at home. These individuals tend to utilize the guise in the absence of accessibility and reasonableness of junk food as a reason to protect their horrible unhealthy food habits. In our present day obesity is progressively turning into a more difficult issue. Obesity is the point at which a man has an excessive amount of fat that he or she may experience the ill effects of negative health problems and issues.

Read More

Obesity: Increasing Global Health Problem

1937 Words | 8 Pages

As we know Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal droth of cell or excessive fat gathering that may harm health , The obesity is measured by Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2).  For adults, the World Health Organization defines overweight and obesity as follows: The increase weight is a body mass index greater than or equal to 25 Obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30. BMI provides the most beneficial measure at the population level of overweight and obesity as is the case for men and women for all ages of adults.

Read More

Fat Tax In Daniel Engber's Let Them Drink Water

597 Words | 3 Pages

Whenever it comes to the topic of obesity, there are many proposed solutions to combat the problem. One such solution that has become more popular is a “fat tax”. Now the problems that come with setting up such a tax is to define one’s terms. What factors should constitute the taxing that is associated with obesity? In Daniel Engber’s piece called “Let Them Drink Water!”

Read More

More about Direct Medical Costs Of Obesity

Related Topics

Open Document