Even as President Obama struggles to find a way to pay for his health care reform plan, “We the People” could cut as much as $147 billion a year from the nation’s health care costs by pushing away from the table and becoming less obese, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report.
The CDC study with the heavyweight title of “Annual Medical Spending Attributable to Obesity: Payer- and Service-Specific Estimates,” places the cost of health care related to obesity in the United States as high as $147 billion annually or about 9.1 percent of the total U.S. health care bill. The $147 billion figure includes payment by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers, and includes prescription drug spending.
Overall, each obese person spent an average of $1,429 (42 percent) more for medical care in 2006 than “normal weight” people, according to the report.
Recommendations for a Slimmer Nation: Rather than a nationwide diet plan, the CDC issued its first-ever set of recommendations intended to help communities tackle the problem of obesity. CDC’s "Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States," presents 24 recommended policy level strategies communities can adopt to prevent obesity.
The 24 strategies promote the availability of affordable healthy food and beverages, support healthy food and beverage choices, encourage breastfeeding, encourage physical activity or limit sedentary activity, support safe communities that support physical activity, and encourage communities to organize for change. The strategies include:
- Communities should support locating schools within easy walking distance of residential areas.
- Communities should improve availability of affordable healthier food and beverage choices.
“It is critical that we take effective steps to contain and reduce the enormous burden of obesity on our nation”, said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., in a press release. “These new recommendations and their proposed measurements are a powerful and practical tool to help state and local governments, school districts, and local partners take necessary action.”
Also See:
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NIH Has Strategy to Fight U.S. Obesity
Consumer Group Claims CDC Overstates Obesity Costs
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