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    Obesity Costing States Billion in Yearly Medical Expenses

    HealthDay – Thu, Aug 25, 2011

    WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity is costing states up to $15 billion each year, a new study suggests.

    In nine states, obesity already accounts for 10 percent or more of the state's annual medical expenses, according to researchers from RTI International, Duke University and the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

    The study pointed out that taxpayers are footing a large part of the bill, with the state's share of obesity expenditures funded by Medicare and Medicaid ranging between 25 percent in Virginia and a whopping 64 percent in Rhode Island.

    "This study shows that the toll that obesity takes goes beyond impairing the health of individuals to imposing a major burden on the entire health care system," AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy said in a news release. "Reducing the prevalence of obesity and its complications is an important priority for the nation and requires focused and constant attention."

    An update of 2004 state-by-state estimates, the study revealed that as of 2009, California has the highest estimated total obesity-related costs of $15.2 billion at the state levels and obesity-related Medicare expenditures of $3.4 billion. Meanwhile, New York has the highest estimated obesity-related Medicaid expenses a year: $4 billion.

    Across the board, the study found that Wyoming has the lowest estimated costs attributed to obesity, with total state-level expenses of $203 million.

    The study also noted the total annual medical estimates related to obesity are 10 percent or higher in Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.

    In comparison, the researchers found, Colorado and Hawaii have the lowest percentage of annual obesity-related medical estimates, at roughly 7 percent each.

    The study authors concluded that obesity accounts for a significant -- and preventable -- portion of the nation's medical bill.

    "This evidence clearly indicates that obesity imposes high annual total and public sector medical costs on state budgets," study author and RTI health economist Justin Trogdon said in a news release. "The high costs emphasize the need to prevent and control obesity as a way to manage those costs."

    More information

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on obesity.

     

    26 comments

    • John
      John  •  9 mths ago
      Tax junk food, sodas, subsidize good foor for the poor. Raise health insurance rates on obese. Give doctors incentives on implementing weight loss programs tax credit on health club memberships. Otherwise no matter what health system is in place will go down the toilet.
    • L.A. WALKER
      L.A. WALKER  •  9 mths ago
      Ok, there is some validity to the obesity health care cost, but how about the health cost of those who are totally stressed out by the loss of their homes, jobs, dignity and for some loss of family. This can be controlled a lot easier. Let's count up the cost of anti-depressant drugs and pain killers. Muscular aches and pains, back pain, migraines, skin disorders, strokes and heart attacks all inflicted by the incredible amountsof stress people are attempting to cope with. I just realized that cope rhymes with dope.
    • Bill K
      Bill K  •  9 mths ago
      Maybe the headline should read "Overpriced Doctors Cost Billions in Medical Expenses". The obesity is a side effect caused by people being so strapped by their health insurance costs (their raises have been eaten up because their employers' premiums have doubled in 5 or 6 years), that they simply can't afford to buy healthy food.
      • L.A. WALKER
        L.A. WALKER 9 mths ago
        I am loving you right now. This is so on point. Wow!
    • William
      William  •  9 mths ago
      It's nice to know they have Fat people to blame for something. . If you go to the Dr for a broken arm the first thing they do is weigh you. . #$%$ does that have to do with a broken bone. . Healthy nutrition is barely covered in Medical School, that's part of the problem, along with big business shoving all the "unhealthy but big profit" junk across the board. .Yet lets find a way to villify someone so we can "go after them". . Typical strategy
    • Mr. Big
      Mr. Big  •  9 mths ago
      Kill the fast food and the sodas you will see more healthy America!! The fast food industry and the soda factories are cancer that is now implemented deep in America you cannot see more healthy people but more obese. Drugs are selling more and more to help obese survive, more hospital bills, people cannot seem to make the right choice when it comes to eating!!!
      It is easy for people to go outside buy a $1 slice of Pizza and a 50c soda what kind of nutrition do you expect when people eat like that? Animals will never eat a $1 pizza, human do......
      And who is making tons of $$$$ Fast food chains, Soda industry, and drug companies, welcome to the new obese world!!!!!
    • Walleye
      Walleye  •  9 mths ago
      Obesity is not a disease. The problems related to high amounts of fat on hips and legs are different than those on the midsection. Eating excessive calories whether they be fat calories, protein calories or carbohydrate calories can contribute to weight gain. Fat calories provide 9 calories per gram, protein and carbohydrate foods have 4 calories per gram of food. So fat can add up quickly. Fat is a form of energy in foods like carbohydrates and protein. The human body can store extra calories as adipose tissue on the body. The patterns of fat gain have a largely genetic component. Generally accepted weight loss goals are to "use up 3500 calories to lose a pound of body fat."
      When I watch the local evening news in my town, the Pizza commercials are by far the most flashy and full frontal assault on the visual senses of all the commercials. In the book "Foods to Eat for Essential Nutrients", cheese has high amounts of saturated fats. A 3.5 ounce serving of Cheddar Cheese has 20. 9 grams of saturated fat and 399 calories. Add sausage and other preserved meats and Pizza can be high in saturated fats.
      Fried foods are very popular and when served hot, they are tasteful and it is easy to over eat. A baked potato has 76 calories. That same potato made into french fries has 380 calories.
      Basic food portion education early in school would help children to have a visual image of the energy value in food. If children are involved in meal planning and preparation in the home, food knowledge could be easy to learn if the parents have good guidance. It is a personal and societal money saver.
      • KENT
        KENT 9 mths ago
        People are still going to eat what tastes good.
      • Mr. Big
        Mr. Big 9 mths ago
        Kent, this is true but tastes good does not mean it has good nutrition,the fast food industry created food that tastes good that you want to eat it every hour, and it is horrible for your health, the more you eat it the more you are addicted, those who never knew about good nutritions food at a younger age, they dont know better!
    • Wayne
      Wayne  •  9 mths ago
      LEAVE MY PIZZA ALONE.
    • Arturo Ceja
      Arturo Ceja  •  9 mths ago
      Yet, it F#@### amazes me that a gym membership is not covered by the insurance companies!! Make people join a gym as soon as they fill out their insurance forms and require them to provide feedback of their progress throughout the process, otherwise drop them from coverage...
    • Troll
      Troll  •  9 mths ago
      Obesity is not an illness it is a choice
    • Troll
      Troll  •  9 mths ago
      Fat people should pay more for health insurance...just like bad drivers pay more for car insurance.
    • Deni
      Deni  •  9 mths ago
      As a fat girl, this drives me crazy because its just a lie. I don't have insurance, and I pay my bills in full when I see my doctor and when I have hospital visits. But here is where the lie comes in. When I go in for ANYTHING, even for the flu two months ago, they list that they have seen me for obesity. No they didn't. By law they have to put that on the forms but that does not mean they treat their patients for anything truly obesity related. So if a person goes in for being shot, and they are fat, its also listed as being seen for obesity. If that person was poor, and could not afford the bill, the state gets to say that obesity related problems account for lack of funds. Its all a lie.
    • bertha fay
      bertha fay  •  9 mths ago
      Just a question - why would anyone choose to be obese in American? Obese people are seen as the lowest form of life by the American people, the media and health care professionals. There has to be a "reason" other than choice for people being obese. Maybe it is time to find some answers - is it addiction, is it self punishment, is it mental illness, is a physical disease?
      • Morton Downey Jr.
        Morton Downey Jr. 9 mths ago
        It is a choice. It is a choice to be lazy, it is a choice to indulge in tasty but unhealthy food in large quantity, it is a choice to blame your appetite on your emotion, it is a choice to shift your accountability to your doctor, and it is choice to think there is another reason other than above.
    • Jeff Stront
      Jeff Stront  •  9 mths ago
      Q. How do you make love to a fat woman?
      A. You ask her to p-ee and you swim against the stream
    • Jeff Stront
      Jeff Stront  •  9 mths ago
      Have a Burger Tax ... A "McTax"
    • Tooth Ferry
      Tooth Ferry  •  9 mths ago
      WHERE IS EVERYONE? @ Mickey D's packing in a Big Mac & Fries?
    • Tooth Ferry
      Tooth Ferry  •  9 mths ago
      Not to worry: with OBIE'S Jobs plan EVERYONE will be slim in a couple years!
    • Tooth Ferry
      Tooth Ferry  •  9 mths ago
      MOOSHELLE will teach you how to stay slim, Above the waist!
    • Tooth Ferry
      Tooth Ferry  •  9 mths ago
      SPLINTS on each Elbow!
    • Tooth Ferry
      Tooth Ferry  •  9 mths ago
      WARNING: Do not live or walk close to hills, if you fall you could roll until you starve to death!
    • Tooth Ferry
      Tooth Ferry  •  9 mths ago
      On a positive note, they can roll your lawn for you!
     Post a comment
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