A report from the OECD titled, ‘The Heavy Burden of Obesity – The Economics of Prevention,’ finds that more than 50% of the population is currently overweight in 34 out of 36 OECD countries, and almost one in four people is obese.
Obesity is responsible for 70% of all treatment costs for diabetes, 23% for cardiovascular diseases, and 9% for cancers.
According to the report, every dollar invested in preventing obesity would generate an economic return of up to six dollars.
10 October 2019: A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) cautions that obesity-related diseases will claim more than 90 million lives in OECD countries over the next 30 years, reducing life expectancy by nearly three years. The publication notes that the disease will also reduce gross domestic product (GDP) by 3.3% in OECD countries and impact personal budgets through additional expenses as high as USD 360 per capita per year.
Launched on 10 October 2019, the report titled, ‘The Heavy Burden of Obesity – The Economics of Prevention,’ uses microsimulation modelling to analyze obesity and overweight in 52 countries (including OECD, EU and G20 countries). The publication makes an economic case for urgently scaling up investments in policies to promote healthy lifestyles and tackle the growing global public health problem of obesity. The report also proposes a number of policies that could improve health outcomes while being a good investment for countries.
According to the authors, more than 50% of the population is currently overweight in 34 out of 36 OECD countries, and almost one in four people is obese, with average rates of adult obesity in OECD countries having increased from 21% in 2010 to 24% in 2016. OECD countries already spend 8.4% of their total health budget on treating obesity-related diseases: a total of USD 311 billion, or USD 209 per capita, per year. The publication highlights that obesity is responsible for 70% of treatment costs for diabetes, 23% for cardiovascular diseases and 9% for cancers.
The report notes that children who are overweight do less well at school and are more likely to miss school and to complete higher education. They also show lower life satisfaction.
The authors report that obese adults are at greater risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, as well as reduced life expectancy. In the EU, the publication finds that women and men in the lowest income group are respectively 90% and 50% more likely to be obese compared to those with the highest incomes, entrenching inequality. People suffering from at least one chronic disease associated with being overweight are 8% less likely to be employed the following year and, when they have a job, they are 3.4% more likely to be absent or less productive.
According to the report, every dollar invested in preventing obesity would generate an economic return of up to six dollars. Solutions could include: food and menu labelling; prescription of physical activity by primary care doctors; workplace wellness programmes; increased access to active public transport; promotion of physical activity in schools; regulation of advertising of unhealthy food to children; and food reformulation. [OECD Press Release] [Publication: The Heavy Burden of Obesity – The Economics of Prevention]