Hello, becky38-ga!
I have compiled some articles that address your question. The primary
impact of childhood obesity will be the resultant additional
healthcare burden on the future economy.
==
From "Economic perspectives on childhood obesity," by Patricia M.
Anderson, Kristin F. Butcher, and Phillip B. Levine. 3Q/2003, Economic
Perspectives
http://www.chicagofed.org/publications/economicperspectives/2003/3qeppart3.pdf
From the section: "Economics of Childhood Obesity."
"If overweight and obese people consume more medical care, and if much
of that medical care is paid for by society, then there is an
externality associated with weight problems....The health care cost
externalities are most likely to be generated from adult weight
problems because obesity-related illness is most likely to take its
toll on adults. However, there has been a stark increase in
obesity-related health problems in children. Doctor's report increases
in type 2 (which used to be called "adult onset") diabetes in
children, as well as high blood lipids, hypertension, sleep apnea,
orthopedic problems, and early maturation.8 Perhaps most importantly
for longterm health care costs, children with weight problems are
likely to become adults with weight problems."
(Read entire section....)
==
From "Some Researchers Voice Concern About Economic Effects of
Childhood Obesity in California." Sacramento Beat. May 3, 2005
http://www.californiahealthline.org/index.cfm?Action=dspItem&itemID=110867
"More than 25% of California students are overweight, and some health
researchers are concerned that this population as adults "will spend
more time in the hospital and less at work" than previous generations,
the Los Angeles Daily News reports."
"According to a report released last month by the Department of Health
Services, the state's overweight and obese adults -- who account for
more than half of the adult population -- cost the state economy $21.7
billion in 2000. Those costs included $11.2 billion in lost
productivity, $10.2 billion in direct and indirect medical costs and
$338 million in workers' compensation, according to the report."
"Susan Foerster, chief of DHS' cancer prevention and nutrition
section, said economic costs for overweight and obese children will
increase as the population ages, particularly from those who develop
diabetes."
Read further..
==
From "The Obesity Epidemic. How States Can Trim the Fat." Issue Brief.
NGA Study for Best Practices. June 2002.
http://www.nga.org/cda/files/OBESITYIB.pdf
Summary:
"Obesity is not just a matter of personal health - it?s a costly and
deadly public health concern that affects economic productivity, state
budgets, and personal and family well being. As seen in Figure 1, U.S.
adult obesity rates have risen drastically in the last decade, from 12
percent to 20 percent. Thirteen percent of children and adolescents
are now overweight or obese, which represents more than a doubling in
the last 30 years. Minority groups and those with less education and
lower income are much more likely to be
overweight and obese. Nearly 30 percent of African-American adults and
23 percent of Hispanic adults are obese. One in five Hispanic and
African-American children are overweight. There has been a ten-fold
increase in the number of children with adult-onset diabetes in the
last five years. The results of this ongoing problem are additional
absence from work and school, lost productivity, and higher healthcare
costs. At-risk and overweight children increasingly suffer from
depression, anxiety, social angst, diabetes
and other health problems, and are more likely to grow up to be obese adults."
"States are paying heavily for obesity and its care - currently, four
million obese children are Medicaid beneficiaries and an unknown
number of adult Medicaid beneficiaries are obese. There is much work
to be done to significantly improve health and the associated
healthcare costs. Fortunately, states are leading the way in
addressing this problem. Much of the death, disease, and disability
associated with obesity can be prevented through state actions to
increase physical activity, promote better diet, and improve
prevention and treatment available through healthcare systems. This
issue brief focuses on programs and policies that states can implement
to address obesity and its causes."
(Read further)
==
From "The Economics of Obesity A Report on the Workshop Held at USDA?s
Economic Research Service," By Tomas Philipson, Carolanne Dai, and
Lorens Helmchen, The University of Chicago, and Jayachandran N.
Variyam, Economic Research Service. May 2004
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/efan04004/efan04004fm.pdf
Abstract:
"Since the mid-1970s, the prevalence of obesity and overweight has
increased dramatically in the United States. The prevalence of
overweight has tripled among children and adolescents, and nearly two
out of three adult Americans are either overweight or obese. Although
high health, social, and economic costs are known to be associated
with obesity, the underlying causes of weight gain are less
understood."
==
From "U.S. Life Expectancy about to Decline, Researchers Say."
http://www.uic.edu/sph/news/news_79.html
"A team of researchers led by University of Illinois at Chicago
professor S. Jay Olshansky is predicting a decline in life expectancy
in the United States later this century. That prediction, which is
based on the dramatic rise in obesity, especially among young people
and minorities, is from a special report appearing in the March 17
issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The study determines
that obesity currently reduces life expectancy by approximately four
to nine months."
"Longevity predictions are crucial for health policy and for economic
policy as well."
"One of the consequences of our prediction is that Social Security
does not appear to be in nearly as bad a shape as we think," says
Olshansky. "The obese may be inadvertently ?saving? Social Security,
but the obese themselves and the health-care system that cares for
them will pay a very heavy price in terms of higher death rates and
escalating health-care costs."
==
From "America?s Cardiovascular Future." The Pfizer Journal.
http://www.thepfizerjournal.com/default.asp?a=article&j=tpj33&t=America%25u2019s%20Cardiovascular%20Future
"There?s not much need to speculate about the future of chronic and
mostly preventable illnesses like cardiovascular disease, though. The
10-year-old bodies of tomorrow?s 50-year-olds are currently ingesting
high-fat, high-salt, and low-nutrition meals and spending more hours
sitting and immobile in front of machines than their parents did. And
they are fatter than any generation before them. "Childhood obesity
can be a major limitation to lifelong health," said Dr. Libby. "The
upswing of obesity in children is frightening to me as a preventive
cardiologist."
"We?re at a critical juncture. We know the current facts regarding CVD
and what is on the verge of happening. We have an opportunity to do
something proactively and get people to understand what the burden of
CVD will mean to themselves, their nations, and the global economy,"
said Dr. Johnson
==
Effect on England's economy:
From "Facing the future of obesity," by Alexandra Frean. ESCR Society Today.
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/about/CI/CP/Our_Society_Today/Spotlights/obesity.aspx?ComponentId=12745&SourcePageId=12987
"If such dire predictions are right, fears that an ageing population
will bring bankruptcy to state pensions schemes can be set aside. Many
in England will have died long before reaching pensionable age. But
this will be little consolation to the Treasury, however, as the
economic cost of the obesity epidemic will offset the savings in
unneeded pension payments. The estimated economic cost of obesity in
England is now running at nearly £7.5 billion a year, and is expected
to increase steadily."
"The incidence of obesity in England has grown almost 400 per cent in
25 years, with more than a fifth of the adult population now obese (22
per cent) and around half overweight. Childhood obesity has tripled in
20 years: nearly a third of under 16s are overweight or obese."
==
I hope these references help to answer your question and provide some
"good" food for thought!
Sincerely,
umiat
Search Strategy
effect of obesity in children on future economy
economic cost of childhood obesity |
Clarification of Answer by
umiat-ga
on
29 Nov 2005 08:39 PST
Hello, becky38!
I am sorry you do not see these articles reflecting the effect of
childhood obesity on the future economy. Every article I have
referenced talks specifically about how the obesity epidemic will
impact the economy of the future.
Do the following excerpts taken from the above articles not tell you
how obesity (in children who will become adults) will affect the
future economy??
"Those costs included $11.2 billion in lost productivity, $10.2
billion in direct and indirect medical costs and $338 million in
workers' compensation, according to the report... (which will only
get worse as we have more obese children turning into obese adults and
draining the economy in the same way!)
"and some healthresearchers are concerned that this population as
adults "will spend more time in the hospital and less at work" (more
economic drain!)
"economic costs for overweight and obese children will increase as the
population ages, particularly from those who develop diabetes."
(Diabetes has ramifications of the disease that can create a lengthy
economic gain on hospitals, the medical establishment and individual
productivity)
"The results of this ongoing problem are additional absence from work
and school, lost productivity, and higher healthcare costs. At-risk
and overweight children increasingly suffer from depression, anxiety,
social angst, diabetes
and other health problems... (all of which causes society to take
care of these patients, through an increase in medical personnel,
medical/hospital cost, Medicare or Medicaid expenditures if they don't
have the means, etc. - not to mention costs to the employer when
employees need sick days or need to be replaced and retrained due to
obesity-related illness )
"States are paying heavily for obesity and its care - currently, four
million obese children are Medicaid beneficiaries and an unknown
number of adult Medicaid beneficiaries are obese.. (don't you think
these economic costs in the future will only get worse if more obese
children grow up to be obese adults?)
"The obese may be inadvertently ?saving? Social Security, but the
obese themselves and the health-care system that cares for them will
pay a very heavy price in terms of higher death rates and escalating
health-care costs."
(the future economic burden placed on the healthcare systems will be profound!)
And what will obese children who turn into obese adults do for
England's economy? "But this will be little consolation to the
Treasury, however, as the economic cost of the obesity epidemic will
offset the savings in
unneeded pension payments. The estimated economic cost of obesity in
England is now running at nearly £7.5 billion a year, and is expected
to increase steadily."
I don't know how this can better answer your question!! Perhaps
extracting these pertinent lines from the various articles will help.
I surely hope so!
umiat
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