The economic impact of obesity. Building bridges with managed care.

According to the third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, at least one third of adults older than age 20 are overweight, and the prevalence of obesity has increased to more than 20% in American adults. Currently, obesity is a risk factor in 4 of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States and is also a risk factor for a number of chronic conditions, including gallbladder disease, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Aggregate costs related to obesity--the associated health risks and effects on productivity--have grown to more than $99 billion per year, representing 5.7% of US healthcare expenditures. Loss of as little as 5% to 10% of body weight can be expected to change the onset of several comorbid conditions associated with obesity (e.g., coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke, and osteoarthritis), resulting in significant health and economic benefits. The increasing effectiveness of obesity management and the latest evidence that weight loss reduces the direct and indirect costs of obesity can favorably influence reimbursement decisions.