Obesity is costly.
Obesity leads to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea, hypertension, heartburn . . . need I go on.
These conditions lead to more office visits and treatments like medications, physical therapy, etc.
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Here is a common scenario I see in clinic.
A patient comes in who is obese, snores at night and their neck size is 19 inches putting him at risk for sleep apnea.
So we get the test . . . a sleep study.
He stays overnight and is monitored for sleep apnea and was found to stop breathing and have apneic episodes. He is diagnosed with sleep apnea.
We now have a problem, so he needs treatment. We fit him with a mask and device to correct the sleep apnea.
The cost . . . likely thousands of dollars . . . and this happens frequently in my office.
The dollars spent on obesity related healthcare is astronomical and rising.
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So, what is the cost of obesity? And how much money could be saved by losing weight?
Fortunately, there exist smart mathematical nerds who can run the numbers for us.
A recent study looked at this very question.
They crunched data from the Medical Expenditure Panel and ran statistical analysis that would make my head spin.
They found that it pays to lose weight.
Here are some of their results:
- Obesity raises the annual adult medical cost in the Unites States by $316 BILLLLION dollars.
- If your BMI is under 35 you do not cost more to take care of BUT . . .
- If your BMI rises above 35, your cost goes up considerably.
- The average adult with obesity costs about $3,508 more per year.
- If you have BMI of 40 and can reduce your weight by 10% you could save yourself $3,410 per year; a 20% weight reduction would save you $4,607.
- If you have a BMI of 35 you could save $853 per year with a 10% weight loss and $1,807 for a 20% weight loss.
- If you have diabetes you cost even more, and likely many thousands of dollars more.
A patient with insurance would not directly absorb all of this cost.
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However, insurance companies are incentivized to “risk-adjust” based on risk factors . . . such as obesity.
I do physical exams frequently where an employer needs me to sign off on “biomarkers” such as blood sugar, cholesterol as well as weight and height.
The height and weight is used to determine BMI, which is used to determine risk and adjust premiums.
I am not an insurance expert, but the cost of obesity is likely passed on to a patient’s premium.
Consider your health an investment.
So often patients tell me how expensive the produce isle is.
My response . . .
You cannot afford to eat from anywhere else.
Best Health,
Nick
The Evidence:
Image Credit: Dollars on a Plate by Tax Credits on Flickr