Obesity, cost of weight loss surgery. Does it out weigh the costs of being over weight?

The Costs of Obesity

The national cost of this disease is very high. Based on 1998 estimates, annual medical costs to treat patients who are overweight were approximately 79 billion, or 93 billion in 2002. The healthcare cost burden of being overweight now rivals that of smoking. The personal cost of living can also be significant. Consider what you might spend on the following items:

• Out-of-pocket healthcare expenses

o Over-the-counter medication costs

o Co-pays for doctor office visits

o Co-pays for lab work

o Co-pays for specialists

o Co-pays for physical therapist/allied health professionals

• Prescription co-pays

• Employment inactivity costs (days of missed work)

• Non-surgical weight loss programs (such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig)

• Grocery and dining costs

These expenditures quickly add up. You may find that dramatic weight loss can greatly reduce your weight related costs.

Check out Obesity, cost of weight loss surgery does it out weigh the costs of being over weight? for more information on the lap band.