Obesity and the U.S. Health Care System
Project Type
Event
Location
Miniaci Performing Arts Center
Start Date
8-4-2005 12:00 AM
End Date
8-4-2005 12:00 AM
Obesity and the U.S. Health Care System
Miniaci Performing Arts Center
Awareness of the impact of obesity on the individual as well as on the health care system has become a major topic of debate in recent years. Nearly two thirds of all American adults are overweight and over 30% are considered obese according to data from the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. This same survey has estimated that the total costs of obesity are as high $117 billion with direct costs of $61 billion and indirect costs of $56 billion. Recent studies (2002) indicate that the direct costs of obesity have risen to $92.5 billion, which represents 9.1% of total U.S. health care spending.
The objective of this paper is to review the various treatments available to treat obesity ranging from dieting and life style changes to the increase today of various types of surgery. A cost/benefit analysis will be applied to these different approaches to ascertain the most cost effective treatment for this national epidemic.
