Medical costs associated with obesity were as high as $147 billion per year in the US as of 2008

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Sunday, December 18, 2011 7:50 pm Email this article
Medical costs associated with obesity were as high as $147 billion per year in the US as of 2008 according to a recent analysis.

This is up from an estimated $78.5 billion in 1998, "with roughly half financed by Medicare and Medicaid" the paper notes.

"We found that the increased prevalence of obesity is responsible for almost $40 billion of increased medical spending through 2006, including $7 billion in Medicare prescription drug costs." REFERENCE

Finkelstein E, Trogdon J, Cohen J, Dietz W. Annual medical spending attributable to obesity: Payer-and service-specific estimates. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009 Sep-Oct, 28(5):w822-31.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

E. Finkelstein
RTI International
Research Triangle Park
North Carolina, USA
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• Costs associated with obesity