Weight Problems Can Bring Financial Burdens

9/22/2010

People who struggle with weight problems have long known that obesity can contribute to a number of medical conditions that will leave them facing higher life and health insurance premiums. However, a new report is providing further insight into this situation by adding up the total costs an individual is likely to bear because of weight problems.

According to the George Washington University Medical Center, current trends suggest that 50 percent of the U.S. population could be obese by 2030, with 60 percent of the population currently considered either overweight or obese.

The report stated that the annual costs of being obese amount to $4,879 for women and $2,646 for men, with higher incremental costs for obesity than for just being overweight.

Along with higher life insurance premiums, other factors weighed in the study included the value of lost life, direct medical costs, short-term disability, and productivity losses based on absenteeism from work.

The report added that data is relatively scarce in this area, but warns that obese people are also likely to face other financial burdens, such as clothing, extra air travel costs, furniture, and other consumer needs.

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