lifestyle and weight

Lifestyle factors of obesity

Obesity is a multifactorial disease with a multitude of contributing factors. Diets high in calories and fat and low in fiber, combined with low levels of physical activity, genetics, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture and socio-economic status, all play major roles in the growth of weight-related diseases.^1,2

Societal consequences

The healthcare costs of obesity and its associated comorbidities were estimated at $92.6 billion in 1998, more than 9% of total annual United States medical expenditures.³ Two years later this topped $117 billion in 2000 with approximately half of these costs paid by Medicare and Medicaid.^3,4 In short, obesity and overweight will account for 16-18% of total US healthcare costs by 2030.⁵ The overall healthcare costs of excess weight are greater than that of many other health risks, including smoking and alcoholism.⁶ Overweight and obesity also negatively impact employee productivity and raise employer healthcare costs; a 2008 report puts the cost of obesity to US private business at $45 billion per annum.⁷

Therapeutic options

Common approaches for weight loss range from ultra-low calorie and fad diets to surgical intervention (gastric bypass), as well as appetite suppressants and, more recently, psychoactive prescription medications, all of which can pose their own serious health risks.^1,2 Despite the increase in treatment options, the rates of overweight and obesity continue to rise in the United States.⁴ Helping patients build a healthy relationship with food, while increasing the amount they exercise has to be at the heart of the solution.

References

1. National Institutes of Health. The practical guide: Identification, evaluation and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/prctgd_c.pdf. Accessed November 8, 2006.
2. American Obesity Association. AOA fact sheets: morbid obesity. Available at: http://www.obesity.org/subs/fastfacts/morbidobesity.shtml. Accessed November 8, 2006.
3. Finkelstein EA, Fiebelkorn IC, Wang G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: how much, and who’s paying? Health Aff (Millwood).2003;W3:219-26.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity 2001. Available at: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/CalltoAction.pdf. Accessed December 20, 2006.
5. Sturm R. The effects of obesity, smoking, and drinking on medical problems and costs. Health Aff (Millwood).2002;21:245-253.
6. Wang Y, Beydoun MA, Liang L, et al. Will all Americans become overweight or obese? Estimating the progression and cost of the US obesity epidemic. Obesity, 2008: 16: 2323-2330.
7. The Conference Board. Weights and measures: what employers should know about obesity. Research Report 1419. April 2008.