The Cost of Obesity in America

COST THE WITH TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICANS CONSIDERED TO BE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE, THE WAISTLINES OF AMERICANS AREN'T THE ONLY THING GROWING RAPIDLY. THE RIPPLE- EFFECT (NO PUN INTENDED) OF OF OUR SUPER-SIZED COUNTRY IS OBESITY REACHING OUR WALLETS, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU MAY WEIGH. OBESITY RATE IN AMERICA 15-19% 20-24% 25-29% > 30% RESEARCHERS ESTIMATE THAT OBESITY AMONG FULL-TIME WORKERS COSTS $73.1 BILLION PER YEAR. THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF HIRING 1.8 MILLION NEW WORKERS AT ANNUAL SALARIES OF $42,000, WHICH IS WHAT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN MAKES EACH YEAR. THE TOTAL ECONOMIC COST OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY USA CANADA $270 BILLION $30 BILLION THIS IS THE RESULT OF: LOSS OF PRODUCTIVITY INCREASED NEED FOR MEDICAL CARE DUE TO TOTAL DISABILITY ($75 BILLION) 25% ($129 BILLION) 43% LOSS OF PRODUCTIVITY DUE TO DISABILITY OF ACTIVE WORKERS ($45 BILLION) 15% LOSS OF WORKER PRODUCTIVITY DUE TO HIGHER RATES OF DEATH ($51 BILLION) 17% LOST TIME AT WORK BODY MASS INDEX vs. DAYS LOST PER YEAR DAYS LOST 22.7 21.9 6.3 2.3 BMI 30 - 34.9 > 40 30 - 34.9 > 40 WOMEN MEN AT ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE, ONE OF THE LARGEST HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN THE MIDWEST, OBESITY COST NEARLY $6 MILLION IN LOST PRODUCTIVITY LAST YEAR ALONE. THAT'S SIX TIMES AS MUCH AS THE COSTS ATTRIBUTED TO SMOKING. INCREASED COSTS PER YEAR DUE TO MEDICAL EXPENDITURES, MISSED WORKDAYS AND LOST PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK, COMPARED TO INDIVIDUALS WITH A BODY MASS INDEX UNDER 30. $6,694 $$$ INCREASE $6,087 INCREASE $4,112 INCREASE $2,524 $2,491 INCREASE INCREASE $1,143 INCREASE BMI 30 - 34.9 35 - 39.9 > 40 30 - 34.9 35 - 39.9 > 40 WOMEN MEN PRIVATE EMPLOYERS ARE HIT WITH AN ESTIMATED $45 BILLION A YEAR IN MEDICAL EXPENDITURES AND WORK LOSS. WEIGHT DISCRIMINATION HAS INC ED 66% OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS. OBESE WOMEN EARN 6% LESS FOR THE SAME WORK. MEN EARN 3% LESS. AS MANY AS 1 BILLION ADDITIONAL GALLONS OF GASOLINE ARE CONSUMED YEARLY IN THE U.S. DUE TO THE EXCESS WEIGHT OF THE POPULATION. THIS ADDITIONAL FUEL CONSUMPTION PRODUCES CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS OF NEARLY 10 BILLION TONS. THE END INFORMATION PROVIDED BY: www.MedicalCoding.org REFERENCES: HTTP://WwW.FOXNEWS.COM/HEALTH/2010/10/08/HIDDEN-COSTS-OBESITY-BRING-YEARLY-TOTAL-BILLION/#IXZZ1AXXZKISW HTTP://WwW.KAISERHEALTHNEWS.ORG/STORIES/2010/JULY/16/FT-OBESITY-WORKPLACE-COSTS.ASPX HTTP://WwW.CNN.COM/2010/HEALTH/02/09/FACT.CHECK.OBESITY/INDEX.HTML HTTP://WwW.BUSINESSWEEK.COM/LIFESTYLE/CONTENT/HEALTHDAY/648708.HTML