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Health costs of obesity exceed smoking and drinking
Yahoo News ^ | 6-5-05 | Patricia Reaney

Posted on 06/05/2005 6:14:01 PM PDT by SheLion

ATHENS (Reuters) - Treating obesity-related disorders costs as much or more than illnesses caused by aging, smoking and problem drinking. 

It accounts for 2 percent of the national health expenditure in France and Australia, more than 3 percent in Japan and Portugal and 4 percent in the Netherlands.

A review of research into the economic causes and consequences of obesity presented at the 14th European Congress on Obesity showed that in 2003 up to $96.7 billion was spent on obesity problems in the United States.

"An increase in the prevalence of obesity increases the healthcare costs," Anne Wolf of the University of Virginia School of Medicine said.

"As age increases so do healthcare costs for obesity."

Obesity, which is a risk factor for chronic diseases like diabetes, is calculated using the body mass index (BMI) -- dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared.

A BMI of more than 30 is considered obese, more than 40 is very severe.

The costs of dealing with the consequences of obesity rise along with the severity of the disorder. Being overweight or obese increases the odds of suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis which are the major reasons for obesity healthcare costs.

"Each unit increase in BMI is associated with a 2.3 percent cost increase," said Wolf.

Although most of the cost analysis for obesity has been done in the U nited States, where about 30 percent of adults are obese, Wolf said the figures would be comparable for other western countries with rising rates of obesity.

An estimated 10-20 percent of men and 10-25 percent of women in European countries are obese.

Along with hefty health costs, obesity is also associated with a greater loss of productivity and increased rates of disability.

Studies in the United States have shown that about 6 percent of people with a healthy weight are unable to work but the figure rises to 10 percent or more among the obese.

Much of the healthcare spending on obesity-related problems is due to prescription drug costs and more hospital stays.

O bese patients are more likely to require medication for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pain relief, asthma and other illnesses than people with a normal weight, according to Wolf.

Despite the health and economic consequences of obesity, which affects more than 300 million people worldwide including a growing number of children and adolescents, health experts believe it is one of the most neglected public health issues.

"It is a very serious problem," said Wolf. "The excess costs of obesity are present in all ages."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: calories; fat; food; foods; health; junkfood; nannystate; obesity; overeating; wodlist
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To: raybbr
Don't you know being fat is a sign of prosperity?

Actually it is.

Prior to the 20 century being fat was something that only the very wealthy could be. Nature was not very free with her favors and just living burned up so many calories that true obesity was rare. Not to mention that unless you had servants to care for you it would be impossible for you to get so fat that you could not get around. Once you reached that point you would have to slim down via a plan known as starvation.

In some remote corners of the world a plump wife is a status symbol. "Look, she doesn't have to work very hard and I can still feed her. What a good provider I am!"

Now whether it is healthy is another question. But it is certain that being fat is a sign of prosperity from way back.

61 posted on 06/05/2005 7:41:13 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (I am not a romantic, I don't hero worship and no, as a matter of fact, I don't have a heart.)
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To: RJL

You are a genius, sir. In addition, it appears that the main cause of dental problems is consuming some type of food. If we just stop eating at all, we would entirely eliminate the need for dental insurance. I'm sure this is just the tip of our cost savings iceberg. Lettuce see what else we can come up with.


62 posted on 06/05/2005 7:43:07 PM PDT by blueblazes
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear
Don't you know being fat is a sign of prosperity? Actually it is.

That took longer than I thought. I know about adiposity as a status symbol. It still doesn't make it any less absurd.

63 posted on 06/05/2005 7:50:52 PM PDT by raybbr
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To: motzman

Yiikes! Looks like I'll be sleppin with the night light on tonight! (M. Moore is a big scary monster!)


64 posted on 06/05/2005 7:53:35 PM PDT by CO Gal (Liberals should be seen, but not heard..)
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To: raybbr
Actually very logical.

Do not mean that it should continue to be of course but there are sound reasons behind it.

But that is true of many of our customs and beliefs, most were based on survival reasoning. The reason may have disappeared but the custom remains as if embedded in the instinctive portion of our brain.

65 posted on 06/05/2005 7:58:35 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (I am not a romantic, I don't hero worship and no, as a matter of fact, I don't have a heart.)
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To: SheLion
Get ready for the propoganda campaign against Big Bigness.

I know its a terrible pun, but I hadta do it.

66 posted on 06/05/2005 7:59:19 PM PDT by keithtoo (Howard Dean's Democratic Party: Traitors, Haters, and Vacillators)
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To: SheLion

67 posted on 06/05/2005 8:02:17 PM PDT by mirkwood (MR. PRESIDENT...PUT UP THIS WALL!)
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To: patton

8<)

I'm too skinny to register on the scale. 72" x 150 lbs, 31" waist. 140 some-odd cholesteral, 105/70 bp, 70 bpm.

Ain't got no weight, no blood, and nothin' pumpin what I ain'y got.


68 posted on 06/05/2005 8:05:09 PM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (-I can only contribute to FR monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS contributes to her campaign every day)
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To: SheLion
This is interesting given the fact that the CDC just published a study in the April 20 Journal of the American Medical Association that estimated the net death toll attributable to obesity to be 25,814 people per year.

This, of course, was quite a downward revision from CDC’s March 2004 claim that obesity caused about 400,000 deaths per year, approaching the toll estimated for smoking.

I think the hysteria over obesity, including the claims made in this article, are bullshit. Lots of liberal organizations such as Greenpeace have been discussing ways to eliminate cheap food (like obesity causing fast food) in order to further their usual plan to undermine America.
69 posted on 06/05/2005 8:06:13 PM PDT by Jaysun (No matter how hot she is, some man, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t)
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE

150#!!!! Dude, you don't exist.


70 posted on 06/05/2005 8:10:56 PM PDT by patton ("Fool," said my Muse to me, "look in thy heart, and write.")
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To: Jaysun

I heard the other day that there now a lot of disagreement about that result and that the real figures have been revised up again.


71 posted on 06/05/2005 8:16:19 PM PDT by Youngblood
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To: SheLion

Thank God we have lawyers to protect us from things like this. My Father died after smoking for 50 years. Of course my mother and family got nothing from the billions in the tobacco settlement, but at least we stopped big tobacco from selling anymore cigarettes. Everyone will be slim if we sue the junk food companies. I can't wait ;-)


72 posted on 06/05/2005 8:49:05 PM PDT by Soliton (Alone with everyone else.)
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To: patton

Super picture!!!!


73 posted on 06/05/2005 8:58:37 PM PDT by SheLion (Trying to make a life in the BLUE state of Maine!)
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To: SheLion; patton

That picture is a photoshop job - there is no way anyone in this day and age is willing to have their picture taken partaking of a tobacco product..............







/major sarcasm


74 posted on 06/05/2005 9:05:34 PM PDT by Gabz (My give-a-damn is busted.)
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To: SheLion

It is, isn't it? And the secret is - I am adopted. LOL.


75 posted on 06/05/2005 9:07:12 PM PDT by patton ("Fool," said my Muse to me, "look in thy heart, and write.")
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To: Gabz

LOLOL. Good one.


76 posted on 06/05/2005 9:08:42 PM PDT by patton ("Fool," said my Muse to me, "look in thy heart, and write.")
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To: patton

I'm an anomoly...............


77 posted on 06/05/2005 9:21:07 PM PDT by Gabz (My give-a-damn is busted.)
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To: Gabz
I already figured out the anomoly, if you please.

Heck, ..., well, nevermind. Just pretend I am some...

Nevermind.

78 posted on 06/05/2005 9:28:12 PM PDT by patton ("Fool," said my Muse to me, "look in thy heart, and write.")
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To: patton

29.2 is correct - you didn't square your height.


79 posted on 06/05/2005 9:30:54 PM PDT by CFC__VRWC ("Anytime a liberal squeals in outrage, an angel gets its wings!" - gidget7)
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To: patton

ROFLMPJO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm out of here - I need some sleep - FReep with you later!!!!!!!!!!!!


80 posted on 06/05/2005 9:31:26 PM PDT by Gabz (My give-a-damn is busted.)
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