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Medical cost for obesity has a hefty price

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 28, 2009

WASHINGTON - Obesity's not just dangerous, it's expensive. New research shows medical spending averages $1,400 more a year for an obese person than for someone who's normal weight. The higher expense reflects the costs of treating diabetes, heart disease and other ailments far more common for the overweight, concluded the study by government scientists and the nonprofit research group RTI International. Other figures from the study, published Monday by the journal Health Affairs:

147

Overall obesity-related health spending annually, in billions of dollars, double what it was nearly

a decade ago

9.1

Percentage of all medical spending attributed to obesity-related conditions, up from 6.5 percent

in 1998

33
Approximate percentage
of adult Americans who are obese

37

Percentage the obesity rate rose between 1998 and 2006

The Associated Press

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