Hardly a week goes by without some new report telling Americans they are getting more obese. Along with the obesity comes the added risk for heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, and stroke. Did you ever think of the financial costs of obesity? According to Newsweek here are the top 5 costs associated with obesity:
- Lower wages: Stanford University researchers found that obese men and women earn, on average, $3.41 per hour less than their peers. Over the course of a year, that means $7,093 in lost income.
- Fewer work hours: On average, obese workers tend to lose a week of work a year due to ailments related to their weight, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. A firm of 1,000 employees loses $285,000 a year due to obese—not overweight—employees, about 30 percent of which is attributable to increased absenteeism, according to Eric A. Finkelstein and Laurie Zuckerman‘s “The Fattening of America.”
- Higher medical costs: Overweight males incur medical costs that are $170 more annually than their leaner co-workers, while overweight females incur costs $495 higher than their counterparts, Finkelstein and Zuckerman write. They also note that hospitals have to pay more to treat the obese—oversized wheelchairs can cost about $2,500, eight times the cost of an ordinary wheelchair, and operating tables that are strong enough to support the severely obese can top $30,000.
- Extra air travel costs: Budget airlines such as Southwest require obese people or people who may take up more than one seat to buy an adequate number of seats on the flight. And heavier passengers burn more fuel: In the 1990s, Americans’ average weight increased by 10 pounds, which meant that airlines spent $275 million on an additional 350 million gallons of fuel to support that extra weight, according to a 2004 Centers for Disease Control report.
- More gasoline: Obviously, more weight burns more gasoline in cars, too. A 2006 study published in the journal The Engineering Economist found that Americans pumped 938 million more gallons of fuel a year than they did in 1960 because of their heftier frames. That adds up to roughly $3.55 billion in increased annual gas expenditures nationwide.
Added note ~~ this report today from HealthDay – Obesity rate up in 37 states.
Everyone laments the obesity problem, but no one has a cure for it for the masses. (No pun intended there, of course. ;o)
hi elaine, this is gonna be a LONG comment so brace yourself
I sometimes wonder why on earth most North Americans are so obese considering the fact they have far more alternatives to healthier food compared to others around the world. I remember when I was in Canada, getting good healthy food was so easy and it was affordable. Of course it may be a little more pricey compared to junk food, but still it was affordable.
I personally think the reason obesity is a problem in North America is perhaps because those who are obese tend to be less educated, and less inclined to improve their knowledge on healthy living (ignorant perhaps?).
The less educated tend to give lesser importance to proper dietary habits and aren’t properly educated on nutritional values. I guess that’s understandable, considering the fact that junk food is far more readily available, it’s cheaper and it’s tastier so why go all out to be more health-conscious?
I find it sad, because where I live (malaysia) obtaining healthy food is sooo expensive! A 6 inch subway sandwich here costs nearly double to tripple the cost of the local junk food here. Note that over here places like McDs and Burger King are quite pricey too. A Whopper sandwich can also cost up to 3 times the lcoal junk food. Obtaining healthy food here is very expensive, unless of course you cook at home, but for full-time single working adults, that can be a real challenge!
I fear that I will be too thin. Strange problem, eh?
Grandalfe – I think at some point you will see society addressing it since it has become a societal issue. I can think of several items that would be a good start.
1. PE in schools again! When did PE get phased out anyway? Whatever happened to President Kennedy’s fitness test that we had to take when growing up?
2. Schools need to revamp their lunch menus and start serving heathier food.
3. Parents need to get their kids off the couch, limit time on video games, computers, and TV.
4. Restaurants could start by serving normal portion sizes again.
Uncannyman – nope I don’t mind the comment at all. And to be fair it’s not just America that is struggling with the obesity problem, so is the UK and many other countries. It’s true that the poor and un-educated tend to be more obese and generally have more health problems. But even the educated and more affluent tend to eat out more and we see many of them overweight. I truly think the over-sized portions that are now standard in America is partly to blame. People have NO idea what a normal serving is anymore. Restaurants server portions big enough for 2 and yet it’s given to a single person, and many eat it! I could go on and on because I really am passionate about the obesity problem in my country but I will quit pontificating now. Thanks for your comment!
Laoch – well you’ve made big changes to your diet and lifestyle…at some point it should balance out and you’ll find the right balance between healthy food and exercise.
There is no one single reason for obesity.
Our sedentary, automobile-centered society contributes to the problem, as does the Super-Size mentality. The concept of portion control barely exists in the United States. No doubt many people don’t even know when they’re full. And yes, some folks don’t have a clue about good nutrition–and resent paternalistic laws such as the recent fast food “intervention” in LA.
Maybe the metaphor is trite, but to me our tubby-filled Land of Plenty is a symbol of our feel-good consumerist attitude: lots of empty calories, but not much substance.
I am encouraged by the emergence of the Slow Food movement, as well as the plethora of farmer’s markets, especially organically grown dairy and veggies.
All it takes is a little thought before eating to solve the obesity problem along with a strong dose of self-control. Unfortunately, both thought and discipline are rapidly disappearing, thanks to widespread stupidity. It’s increasingly becoming easier not to think!
And I completely agree with your #3 to Gandalfe.
It’s really simple math, a study in human behavior (not so simple), and cultural forces (even less simple). We consume far more calories than we need – and those calories are usually very low in nutritional value. So we become fat and nutrient deprived. The introduction of high fructose corn syrup in everything from sodas, to bbq sauces, to cereals is another problem. But the other, more insidious problem is our own behavior regarding bad food choices. I realize that choosing chocolate over broccoli is difficult if both present themselves. Unfortunately, our grocery stores offer, and TV marketing strongly reinforces, bad food selections. And I think the most troublesome part in the whole equation is our culture of speed. We do way too much and eat on the run a lot. I saw a figure on childhood diabetes and how much kids eat fast food a week recently. It was horrifying.
It is sad to hear that Hardly a week goes by without some new report telling Americans they are getting more obese.