Obesity is a rising global health crisis that has far-reaching implications for individual health. Since 1990, the disease has doubled in number, accounting for more adults struggling with its ailments and consequences.
But it isn’t just the obese who are suffering; healthcare systems worldwide are taking a major hit, from driving up costs to straining resources.
Today, we’re looking at how much obesity costs healthcare systems around the world. We’ll explore the economic impact of this disease and more.
The Global State of Obesity
A pervasive global issue, obesity affects 38% of the world population as of 2023. It is estimated that adult obesity will reach a staggering 1.53 billion by 2035, a seriously alarming rise from the 0.81 billion recorded in 2020.
78% of those adults will be from low- and middle-income countries, and 88% will be children. A major cause for concern is that the obesity drug market forecast is estimated to reach $105 billion by 2030.
However, if it maintains the pattern of going up by billions each year, as reflected in the astounding $6 billion in 2023, we’ll likely get there faster.
What are the contributing factors behind the growing rates in obesity? You’ve got your usual poor dietary lifestyles, sedentary lifestyles, urbanization, to the more uncommon reasons being exacerbating mental health conditions, medications, and rare genetic disorders.
Contrary to popular belief, obesity is not confined to high-income countries. As we’ve seen above, most overweight populations are projected to belong to LMICs, which are already putting up with existing public health challenges.
Direct Healthcare Costs
There is no doubt that obesity significantly drives up healthcare costs, mostly due to the treatment and management of associated diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular irregularities, or hypertension.
Individual medical expenses include frequent doctor visits, hospital stays, surgery, and long-term medication use. In the U.S. alone, healthcare costs amounted to $520 billion in additional costs for obesity-related treatment.
Other countries also face similar financial constraints, but varying numbers show the difference in healthcare systems from nation to nation. The need for specialized care and procedures such as bariatric surgery and the implementation of strict weight-management plans only elevate costs.
Indirect Healthcare Costs
Indirect healthcare costs of obesity are also substantial, mainly resulting from lost productivity since obese patients struggle with being present. This leads to reduced workforce participation and economic output.
As an individual begins to gain weight and become obese, it obviously becomes physically challenging for them to move. Still, their self-esteem takes a nosedive, preventing them from going out in public and being around people.
Long-term disability and early retirement due to obesity-related health complications further put a major damper on social and economic systems. An overlooked area of indirect costs of obesity has to be the higher insurance premiums and greater demands on social support services, leading to higher operational costs and lower productivity for many businesses.
From a societal aspect, the decreased quality of life and increased dependency rates add to the economic burden, stressing the need to address obesity beyond its individual and direct consequences and costs.
Contributing Factors to High Costs
Several factors contribute to the spike in high obesity costs in healthcare systems. Let’s look at healthcare infrastructure, for starters. Countries with underfunded or fragmented systems will struggle to offer effective obesity prevention and treatment.
Socioeconomic factors also contribute to raising costs, with low income and education levels influencing obesity rates, as lower-income populations have limited access to healthy food and exercise options.
We mentioned urbanization and sedentary lifestyles being key contributors to high costs in obesity-related healthcare, along with individual cultural attitudes towards food and weight also impacting obesity’s prevalence.
Strategies to Reduce Obesity-Related Costs
Implementing a few important strategies can provide the long-awaited answer to the question, “What can we do to reduce obesity-related costs?” We’ve outlined them below just for you.
1. Prevention and Education
Public health campaigns, school-based programs, and community initiatives promoting and raising awareness about healthy, nutritious and balanced diets, physical activity, and active lifestyles are the first step to reducing obesity-related costs in healthcare.
The approaches must be similar at home, with parents encouraging an active and energetic lifestyle in their children from a young age. Whether it’s enrolling kids in swimming lessons, tennis practice, gymnastics, or junior wrestling, a child should grasp the importance of physical activity early on.
2. Policy Interventions
For the public to really take obesity seriously, there has to be some kind of regulatory and administrative change.
A great strategy is government-enforced regulations on the food and beverage industry to limit unhealthy ingredients. This means banning preservatives, food coloring, and artificial flavoring on popular food items.
Pairing that with subsidies on healthy food and imposing taxes on sugary drinks and junk food can also encourage the public to choose a healthy lifestyle. People can go to great lengths to save their wallets.
Another fantastic intervention can be urban planning that supports physical activity, like parks, bike lanes, and public basketball or tennis courts.
3. Medical Interventions
Probably the most effective strategy on the list, but interventions like strengthening primary care for early detection and obesity management, and more access to weight management and counseling services can be beneficial to impact those on the verge of obesity to choose a better lifestyle.
Higher investments in advanced medical treatments and technologies, such as bariatric surgery and innovative medications, are also crucial.
Conclusion
Obesity is not only a personal health issue but also a significant economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide. It is crucial to come up with drastic changes in policies, strategic interventions, and a multi-faceted approach to address these challenges and eradicate them for good.
