USA spent $75bn treating obesity in 2003

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 21 Jan 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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The obesity toll in the USA is beginning to punch a sizeable hole in the country's healthcare budget. A total of $75 billion was spend last year dealing with obesity problems. Taxpayer's were burdened with half that amount.

According to a study, the USA now spends nearly as much on treating obesity as it does on treating the illnesses cause by cigarette smoking.

Diseases caused by obesity have doubled since 1980 (heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and arthritis).

There are approximately 39 million obese people in the USA (last count, year 2000).

Eric Finkelstein (lead author of this study) said that obesity consumes 5.7% of the nation's annual healthcare expenditure (tobacco takes up 6.5%).

Eric Finkelstein is an economist with RTI International (a North Carolina think tank). RTI carried out the study together with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

As the UN urges cutting the intake of sugar, salt and transfatty acids, the US government called for more studies to be carried out first (before urging a cut in the intake of sugar, salt, etc.)