For Health Providers, Fat People Will Cost More

Obesity is a complex chronic disease. Too much body fat can cause inflammation and other long-lasting metabolic changes in the body. These changes increase the risk of many serious health problems. Risks increase with the more excess weight a person carries and the longer a person carries that weight.

Studies show that obesity in adulthood increases the risk for the following conditions:

1. High blood pressure (hypertension).
2. High cholesterol, high triglycerides, and other abnormal lipids.
3. Type 2 diabetes.
4. Heart disease and stroke.
5. Many types of cancer.
6. Chronic kidney disease.
7. Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.910 Mental health conditions, such as depression.
8. Joint problems, such as osteoarthritis.
9. Respiratory conditions, such as asthma and obstructive sleep apnea.
10. Severe illness from COVID-19 and flu.
11. Pregnancy problems, such as gestational diabetes.
12. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension18, a neurologic condition.
13. Weight stigma19 and weight bias internalization.
14. All-cause mortality.
15. Impaired immune function.

Obesity care is costly for patients, providers, and the health care system. Costs can be direct or indirect. Direct medical costs include preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services paid by patients or insurers. Indirect costs include reduced work productivity, absenteeism from work, or other aspects related to sickness and death.

For adults, obesity accounted for US$ 173 billion in direct annual medical costs in 2019. Obesity led to US$ 1,861 excess medical costs per person (US$ 3,097 for severe obesity), compared to adults with healthy weight.

For children and adolescents, obesity accounted for US$ 1.3 billion in direct annual medical costs in 2019. Medical costs for children with obesity were US$ 116 higher per person (US$ 310 for severe obesity) than children with healthy weight.

Annual nationwide productivity loss due to obesity ranged from US$ 271 to US$ 542 per employee with obesity, with national productivity losses ranging from US$ 13.4 to US$ 26.8 billion in 2016.

US workers with obesity were absent from their jobs due to injury or illness an average of 3 days more per year than workers with a healthy weight.

Also, approximately 1 in 3 people ages 17 to 24 are too heavy to serve in the U.S. military. Among the young adults who meet weight requirements, only 3 in 4 report physical activity levels that prepare them for challenges in basic training. Consequently, only 2 in 5 young adults are both weight-eligible and adequately active for military service.