Impact of BMI and BMI change on future drug expenditures in adults: results from the MONICA/KORA cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundThe evidence on the long-term economic effects of obesity is still scarce. This study aims to analyse the impact of body mass index (BMI) and BMI-change on future pharmaceutical utilisation and expenditures.MethodsBased on data from 2,946 participants in a German population-based health survey (MONICA/KORA, 1994/95) and the follow-up study (2004/05), drug intake and expenditures were estimated using a bottom-up approach. Using univariate and multivariate methods, we analysed the impact of baseline BMI and BMI-change on drug utilisation and expenditures after 10 years.ResultsThe use of pharmaceuticals was more likely in moderately and severely obese compared to the normal weight group (OR 1.8 and 4.0, respectively). In those who reported pharmaceutical intake, expenditures were about 40% higher for the obese groups. A 1-point BMI-gain in 10 years was, on average, associated with almost 6% higher expenditures compared to a constant BMI.ConclusionThe results suggest that obesity as well as BMI-gain are strong predictors of future drug utilisation and associated expenditures in adults, and thus highlight the necessity of timely and effective intervention and prevention programmes. This study complements the existing literature and provides important information on the relevance of obesity as a health problem.

Cost burden of type 2 diabetes in Germany: results from the population-based KORA studies

“…Details on the assessment of drug usage have been described elsewhere. 31 Neither mandatory manufacturer discounts nor over-the-counter medications were taken into account. All prices were adjusted to the year 2011.…”

The prevalence of obesity documentation in Primary Care Electronic Medical Records

“…Currently, obesity is one of the greatest drivers of preventable chronic diseases and healthcare costs in the United States. Obese individuals are more than twice as likely to be prescribed medications to manage their comorbid medical conditions compared to their healthy-weight counterparts [8]. Moreover, obesity plays a major role in modifying treatment outcomes associated with comorbid chronic disease [9].…”

The Economic Burden of Obesity in Germany: Results from the Population-Based KORA Studies

“…The KORA project in southern Germany includes several population-based cohorts [ 18 ]. Using BMI measured in the study centre and patient-reported health care utilisation, studies in 2005 and 1999 [ 19 , 20 , 21 ] assessed excess costs of obesity with a bottom-up approach. While these studies found substantial costs associated with obesity, they examined only costs in individual cohorts at one time point and mostly focused on single cost components.…”