Financial Costs of America’s Obesity Epidemic
Posted by Patient Help Desk on April 10, 2008 under Bariatric Surgery & Money | 
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Every day, we’re exposed to a startling variety of food-related advertisements on television, in print publications, all over the Web, and even on movie screens. It’s becoming almost impossible to completely escape this high-calorie onslaught of fat- and calorie-laden junk food. So, is it really that surprising that a large percentage of America’s adult population is now considered obese?
Let’s put this potential crisis in perspective. According to a published article in the journal Obesity, by 2030, if trends don’t reverse, an estimated 86% of the nation’s population will be considered overweight or obese! And now it seems that the American obesity epidemic is having an effect on those with a healthy weight.
Excess Pounds Can Mean Excess Dollars
As you well know, obesity may call for specialized healthcare needs. Research shows that the obese are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular conditions, as well as type 2 diabetes. A published Newsweek study suggests that obesity is taking a staggering toll on America’s finances. Among the factors contributing to the ever-growing price tag are:
Ø Reduced pay rates – in a Stanford University study, it was observed that both obese men and women earn an average of $3.41 per hour less ($7,093 annually) than their skinnier co-workers. Older obese workers are more affected, most likely due to increased healthcare costs.
Ø Reduced hours worked – the obese miss about one week per year due to weight-related ailments. In their book “The Fattening of America,” authors Eric A. Finkelstein and Laurie Zuckerman found that obese employees typically cost firms employing 1,000 employees $285,000 annually.
Ø Increased medical costs – overweight men and women have been shown to cost companies more than their healthier co-workers. Overweight men incurred $170 in annual medical costs, while overweight females incurred $495 more. In addition, the obese cause hospitals to spend more, as well.
Ø Increased air travel costs – the overweight and/or obese pay an added price in the sky. They may require additional seats, as well as increased fuel. In 2004, the CDC found that airlines spent $275 million for an 350 million gallons of added fuel to support the extra weight.
Ø Increased gasoline costs – as you’d expect, being overweight or obese also requires additional gasoline. When comparing the years 1960 and 2006, Americans pumped 938 million more gallons of fuel a year. This works out to an estimated $3.55 billion in annual gas increases nationwide!
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has determined that 24 million are now afflicted with type 2 diabetes. The skyrocketing number of those afflicted with diabetes-related obesity (or “diabesity”) may be one of the biggest causes of our ever-increasing health insurance premiums.
Just how expensive is diabetes? According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes-related medical expenditures resulted in about $116 billion in 2007. As such, American companies big and small are considering gastric bypass/bariatric surgery as an alternative for obesity. Today, it’s believed that 140,000 gastric bypass surgeries are performed nationwide annually.
For more information on bariatric surgery and surgical options, please visit our sponsor, NE Baptist Bariatric Center, a Bariatric Center of Excellence.