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Costs of Obesity

Infographic

U.S. Obesity Epidemic: A Look at the Data

Obesity in America has reached epidemic proportions. The forces driving this trend include marketing practices at grocery stores, friends' junk-food preferences, and nutritional messages that parents send their kids.

Oct 3, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Effects of Obesity, Smoking, and Excessive Alcohol Intake on Healthcare Expenditure in a Comprehensive Medical Scheme

Health risks such as tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption and unhealthy body weight contribute to the development of chronic health problems.

Nov 1, 2013
Journal Article

Journal Article

Obesity Utilization and Health-Related Quality of Life in Medicare Enrollees

Obese Medicare beneficiaries have poorer health, functions, and health-related quality of life. They also have substantially higher use of outpatient services.

Jan 1, 2013
Commentary

What Happens When a 'Food Desert' Gets an Oasis?

In an era of budget constraints, policymakers confronting the U.S. obesity crisis need strong evidence from projects like PHRESH to inform decisions about where and how to invest, writes Tamara Dubowitz.

Dec 13, 2012
Blog

American Adults Consume Twice the Recommended Amount of Junk Food

Is eating more fruits and vegetables the key to reducing obesity? Evidence suggests this may not be the most effective strategy. A recent RAND study of more than 2,700 adults found that calorie intake from cookies, candy, salty snacks, and soda was about twice as high as the recommended daily amount.

Apr 26, 2012
Research Brief

Preventing Obesity and Its Consequences: Highlights of RAND Health Research

Summarizes key RAND studies on the causes of obesity, its economic and health consequences, and potential strategies for prevention, including work on health care costs, junk food, food deserts, school meals, and proximity of parks.

Aug 3, 2011
Commentary

Commentary

Worth Its Weight in Gold?

In terms of healthcare use and chronic health conditions, obesity is comparable to aging 20 years, with the health of a 30 year old resembling that of a 50 year old, writes Roland Sturm.

Apr 21, 2011
Journal Article

Journal Article

Food Prices and the Dynamics of Body Weight

The authors study the short- and long-run body weight consequences of changing food prices, in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).

Apr 1, 2011
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Fiscal Consequences of Trends in Population Health

This study quantified the fiscal consequences and potential risks of trends in population health for medical care costs, labor supply, earnings, wealth, tax revenues, and government expenditures.

Jun 1, 2010
Research Brief

Research Brief

Severely Overweight Are Fastest Increasing Group of Obese Americans

The proportion of Americans who are severely obese — about 100 pounds or more overweight — increased by 50 percent from 2000 to 2005, twice as fast as the growth seen in moderate obesity.

Apr 8, 2007
Journal Article

Journal Article

Surgery More Effective Than Diet and Exercise for Severely Obese People

Weight loss surgery helps severely obese people lose more weight than dieting and exercise alone. People who undergo such surgery typically lose about 45 to 65 pounds and maintain their lower weight for 10 years or longer.

Jan 1, 2005
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Health and Cost Consequences of Obesity Among the Future Elderly

Obesity could have serious consequences for older cohorts. The authors used a microsimulation to estimate lifetime costs, life expectancy, disease, and disability for seventy-year-olds based on body mass.

Jan 1, 2005