Economic and Societal Consequences
Obesity and its associated health problems have a significant economic impact on the U.S. health care system.11 Medical costs associated with overweight and obesity may involve direct and indirect costs.12 13 Direct medical costs may include preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services related to obesity. Indirect costs relate to morbidity and mortality costs including productivity. Productivity measures include ‘absenteeism’ (costs due to employees being absent from work for obesity-related health reasons) and ‘presenteeism’ (decreased productivity of employees while at work) as well as premature mortality and disability14