Lower body mass index could reduce healthcare costs

2/15/2012

An estimated one-third of Americans are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This statistic highlights the growing need for employee wellness programs that help workers maintain a healthy weight. Furthermore, these initiatives may help reduce healthcare costs, since the CDC also states that U.S. spends $147 billion on obesity-related conditions each year.

Healthcare Finance News recently reported on a study by The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which found that reducing the average body mass index (BMI) of U.S. residents by five percent could produce savings of more than $158 billion in reduced obesity-related costs in 10 years.

"Prevention is the key to halting the obesity epidemic, lowering healthcare costs and creating a long-term path to a healthier and economically sound America," said Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH, quoted by the news source.

These findings coincide with a 2008 study conducted by TFAH, the Urban Institute, the New York Academy of Medicine and The Prevention Institute, which found that investing $10 per year per person on programs that promote exercise and smoking cessation could result in savings of $16 billion dollars annually within five years.

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