What Costs are Associated with Obesity?
The World Bank estimated that roughly 12 percent of the U.S. health care budget is spent on obesity treatment. The cost of obesity in the United States in 2000 was more than $117 billion ($61 billion direct and $56 billion indirect). (The Surgeon Generals Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity) Direct medical costs include preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services related to obesity. Indirect costs relate to morbidity and mortality costs. Morbidity costs are defined as the value of income lost from decreased productivity, restricted activity, absenteeism, and bed days. Mortality costs are the value of future income lost by premature death.
