The Mounting Costs of Obesity On The National Health Care Budget

Obesity or corpulence, is malnutrition more prevalent inmass index), the higher the risk of acquiring obesity
developed countries. This health condition is like arelated diseases. However, another statistic model
spider's web. Once you're obese, you're at risk of arevealed encouraging results. It seems that weight loss
variety of other health conditions, mental and physical.and a decrease of incidence of obesity related
It causes type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, sleep apnea,diseases reduces the cost of obesity in health
osteoarthritis, depression etc. This is the sad cost ofexpenditure.
obesity. This translates to health care expendituresIt was found that by maintaining a 10% weight
that are directly and indirectly caused by obesity.reduction, the expected years of life extended by
In the United States, an estimated cost of obesity ismore than half. This translates to a decrease in the
12% of the national health care budget, studied by thecost of obesity and obesity related diseases,
World Watch Institute and the World Bank. In a 1999increasing savings from health care by more than half.
Lewin Group study commissioned by the AmericanGood health is parallel to economic benefits.
Obesity Association, the direct health care cost ofHowever, counting expenses is one story, measuring
obesity reached $102.2 billion. It shows a rise fromthe quality of life is another. If the cost of obesity
5.7% of the national health care budget directed todecreases as risk factors decrease, perhaps the
obesity (from a 1994 study) to the 9.8% of healthquality of life increases as a result. This means that
expenses from the 1999 Lewin study.more time can be spent living rather than fighting a
The cost of obesity includes the costs of fifteen otherdisease in order to live. A person is then able to be an
health conditions that are caused by obesity namely:active of society.
low back pain, gallbladder disease, endometrial cancer,A person could do things they once wished to do, like
renal cell cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer,traveling or even experience the simple joy of the
arthritis, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke,wind in your hair as you ride a bike. The cost of
end-stage renal disease, urinary incontinence, liverobesity may be financially exhausting but the true cost
disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension.of obesity is life and everything we love about it.
The study also revealed that the higher the BMI (body