Obesity Trends are on the Rise!

Per an article from The Associated Press dated May 8th, 2012, it appears that there will be no end to the obesity epidemic in the United States. Today, just over a third of U.S. adults are obese. It is estimated that by 2030, that figure will rise to about 42%!

Worse, those who are already obese continue to gain even more weight. Severe obesity will also double by 2030. Nearly 11% of adults will be at least 100 lbs overweight or even higher!

While being overweight increases a person’s risk of diabetes, heart disease and a host of other ailments, it is also very expensive in terms of healthcare.

Conservative estimates suggest obesity related problems account for at least 9% of the nation’s yearly health spending, or 150 billion dollars!

There are many factors that contribute to a person being overweight or obese. The availability of fast food restaurants at every corner and the rising prices of organic food – making junk food cheaper and easier to buy.

Also, when a person is overweight or obese, this contributes to employment problems. Someone who is overweight has a higher chance of getting injured on the job, having problems with disability, medical problems or not being employed due to their health problems and/or image.

Today, more than 78 million American adults are obese Today, more than 78 million American adults are obese. Obesity is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher. The BMI is a number calculated based on a person’s weight and height to give a good indication of someone’s overall body fat. A person who is 5’ 5” would be labeled obese at 180 lbs and severely obese at 240 lbs, or a BMI of 40.

The new forecast suggests another 32 million people will be obese in 2030 – adding another 550 million dollars in healthcare spending!

A Heavy Burden: A study done by the George Washington University School of Public Health in September 2010 shows the individual cost of being overweight or obese in the United States.

The school used a series of measures including indirect costs, like lost productivity as well as direct costs, such as obesity related medical expenditures to estimate the price tag of obesity at the individual level.

Also included in the study was the impact obesity has to job related costs such as: lost wages, absenteeism and disability.

It was concluded that the annual cost for being obese is: $4,879 for a woman, and $2,646 for a man For an overweight woman, the amount is $524 annually For an overweight man, the amount is $432 annually

The analysis demonstrates costs are nine times higher for women and six times higher for men who are obese. 9X! 6X!

Obesity is defined as an individual with a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than 30.

A basic guideline for understanding BMI and weight is as follows: Under 18 – Underweight 18-24 – Average 25-29 – Overweight 30-34 – Obese 35-40 – Severely Obese 40+ – Morbidly Obese

This obesity epidemic has raised the number of people with the following ailments: Type II diabetes Hypertension Cardiovascular Disease Hypercholesterolemia Asthma Sleep Apnea Musculoskeletal diseases Stomach ulcers Gallbladder disease Chronic liver disease; and Certain types of cancers Obesity can lead to: Diabetes Hypertension Sleep Apnea Asthma Stomach Ulcers Cancer Liver Disease

to enjoy life to its fullest. Obesity shortens a person’s expected life span, increases their disability and overall, their ability to enjoy life to its fullest.

- 66% of the costs for obese women are medical obese men are medical *Note: lost wages seem to be the primary culprit for the significant difference in these percentages among genders.

Obesity’s direct medical costs have increased over time. It was estimated in 2006 that 151.7 billion dollars was spent annually on obesity related medical costs – that is double the amount since 1998! These costs could double again by 2020.

Prescription drugs are also used more in an obese prevalent society. From 1998-2006 there was an 80% increase in obesity related prescriptions!

It has become obvious that there is a direct link between a person’s BMI and premature death. A 40 year old white male that is overweight lives 0.2 years less than a 40 year old white male of normal weight. A 40 year old white male that is obese is estimated to live 6 years less than a 40 year old man of normal weight.

With a method of pricing this, the estimate is that the annual value of premature death for a white male is $9,961.

What Are You Worth? There is plenty of evidence to support that obese women often experience lower wages than women of normal weight. The amount of lost wages over time is significant.

Being obese causes lower productivity Being obese causes lower productivity. There are higher rates of missing work due to sickness from an obese person (essentially from eating themselves sick) compared to a person of normal weight.

- Women missed an average of 5 more days of work per year than a woman of normal weight. - Overweight and obese women are more inclined towards short-term disability. - There is a 26% higher chance that overweight women will go on disability compared to women of normal weight.

There is a 76% increase in probability of short-term disability among obese employees compared to normal weight employees.

There are also work related limitations which cost the employer There are also work related limitations which cost the employer. A study showed a 1.6% increase of long term disability among overweight and obese employees compared to their normal weight co-workers.

In closing, there are some interesting facts to consider when it comes to how much obesity is costing America.

It is estimated that per pound, per passenger, an additional 39 It is estimated that per pound, per passenger, an additional 39.2 million dollars are spent in gasoline each year due to higher levels of obesity.

In terms of life insurance, approximately 2.6 billion dollars was spent by overweight and obese people. From this figure, it is estimated that each overweight person spends an additional $15 annually and $111 for an obese person.

As you can see, the facts and statistics related to America’s weight problem is very costly from a National level all the way down to the individual.

But there is something that can be done about it But there is something that can be done about it! And not just another “fat burning pill” or quick-fix fad diet that dies out. There are real solutions to losing weight and regaining your health!

Here at our clinic we can provide you with the proper education, services and products to restore your health, vitality and help you lose the weight to get the body you always wanted!