Direct and indirect effects of obesity on U.S. labor market outcomes of older working age adults

Renna, Francesco; Thakur, Nidhi

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.03.038

Cited by 35 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…1 Adult obesity is an independent risk factor for a wide range of noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, 2 type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, 3 sleep apnea, 4 and arthritis. [5][6][7][8][9] It is a significant cause of disability, [10][11][12] excess mortality, [13][14][15][16] lower productivity, 17 and higher medical costs. [18][19][20] Moreover, without significant intervention, it is estimated that half or more of the American adult population will be obese by 2030, 21,22 further eroding the health of the population and straining the health care system.…”

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confidence: 99%

Lifetime Direct Medical Costs of Childhood Obesity

2014

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An estimate of the lifetime medical costs of an obese child provides a benchmark of the potential per capita savings that could accrue from successful childhood obesity prevention efforts. We reviewed the literature to identify the best current estimate of the incremental lifetime per capita medical cost of an obese child in the United States today relative to a normal weight child. METHODS: We searched PubMed and Web of Science for US-based studies published within the 15 years preceding May 2013 from which lifetime medical cost estimates can be extracted or imputed. Two reviewers independently screened search results and extracted data from eligible articles. All estimates were inflated to 2012 dollars and discounted to reflect costs from the perspective of a 10-year-old child today. RESULTS: We identified 6 studies. The incremental lifetime direct medical cost from the perspective of a 10-year-old obese child relative to a 10-year-old normal weight child ranges from $12 660 to $19 630 when weight gain through adulthood among normal weight children is accounted for and from $16 310 to $39 080 when this adjustment is not made. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend use of an estimate of $19 000 as the incremental lifetime medical cost of an obese child relative to a normal weight child who maintains normal weight throughout adulthood. The alternative estimate, which considers the reality of eventual weight gain among normal weight youth, is $12 660. Additional research is needed to include estimates of indirect costs of childhood obesity.

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confidence: 99%

Lifetime Direct Medical Costs of Childhood Obesity

2014

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“…The work-related and economic consequences of obesity are further accentuated by obesity-associated premature retirement (10,11). In addition to obesity, being under-or overweight may also contribute to the risk of disability retirement as relative weight measured by body mass index (BMI) tends to have a J-shaped association with disability retirement (11).…”

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confidence: 99%

Relative weight and disability retirement: a prospective cohort study

Roos¹,

Laaksonen²,

Rahkonen³

et al. 2012

Scand J Work Environ Health

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Relative weight and disability retirement: a prospective cohort study by Roos E, Laaksonen M, Rahkonen O, Lahelma E, Lallukka T Severely obese and obese employees have a clearly elevated risk for disability retirement, especially for musculoskeletal causes. The adverse effects of obesity on work ability are partly dependent on co-morbidities and ensuing lowered physical functioning. Promoting the maintenance of normal weight among employees is important as well as the effective treatment of obesity and its co-morbidities. Affiliation 259Original article Scand J Work Environ Health. 2013;39(3):259-267. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3328 Relative weight and disability retirement: a prospective cohort study Objectives The aims of this study were to examine (i) the association of relative weight with subsequent disability retirement due to any diagnosis and also in two major diagnostic groups (ie, musculoskeletal diseases and mental disorders) and (ii) whether diagnosed diseases, physical and mental functioning, and working conditions explain these associations. MethodsThis prospective study comprised a cohort of 6542 middle-aged employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland. Questionnaire data were linked with register data on disability retirements, with a mean follow-up time of 7.8 years.Results Adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI) was associated with all-cause disability retirement among men and women, the highest risk being for the severely obese and the obese [hazard ratio (HR) 3.45, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.53-4.69; HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.52-2.46, respectively]. Adjusting for age, relative weight was also strongly associated with the main retirement diagnoses, especially musculoskeletal diseases among the severely obese (HR 4.76,) and obese (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.62-3.39). The association was attenuated when adjusting for self-reported diseases and physical and mental functioning at baseline. Working conditions had negligible effects on the associations. ConclusionsMaintenance of normal weight is likely to reduce the risk of disability retirement. Among obese employees, the focus should be on the improvement of physical functioning and the effective treatment of obesity and its co-morbidities to counteract the heightened risk of disability retirement.

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“…This may suggest that the relationships between obesity and being a current smoker with employment are explained through how women perceive their quality of life. A U.S. study 7 also found that obesity can impact on women's labor market decisions through impairment of bodily functions.…”

Section: Pit and Bylesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, health problems, such as obesity, can reduce people's mental or physical health and thereby reduce their ability to take part in employment. 7 The impact of health on employment outcomes will vary by disease and individual circumstances. 8 For example, an Australian study found that 40% of women who have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer were not working 1 year after diagnosis 9 and that chemotherapy had a negative impact and health insurance a protective effect on work status.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…8 For example, an Australian study found that 40% of women who have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer were not working 1 year after diagnosis 9 and that chemotherapy had a negative impact and health insurance a protective effect on work status. It needs to be acknowledged that the context of employment is very complicated and is influenced by a multitude of factors other than health, such as labor market conditions, 7 financial retirement incentives, caring status, 10 and working conditions, and that these factors interact with health. The House of Work Ability, developed by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, is a widely used approach to conceptualize the complexity of work and promote aging in the workplace.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Association of Health and Employment in Mature Women: A Longitudinal Study

Pit

Byles

2012

Journal of Women's Health

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Background: Despite a reduction in income inequalities between men and women, there is still a large gap between income and retirement savings of Australian men and women. This is especially true for women who have health or disability problems. Mature age women are closest to retirement and, therefore, have less chance than younger women to build up enough retirement savings and may need to continue working to fund their older age. Continued workforce participation may be particularly difficult for women who are less healthy. Understanding which health problems lead to a decrease in workforce participation among mature age women is crucial. Therefore, this longitudinal study sought to identify which health problems are associated with employment among midage women over time. Methods: Data were analyzed from the midage cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH), which involved 14,200 midage women (aged 45-50 years in 1996). The women have been surveyed four additional times, in 1998, 2001, 2004, and 2007. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to conduct nested multivariate longitudinal analyses. Results: The percentages of women who were employed in the years 2001, 2004, and 2007 were 77%, 72%, and 68%, respectively. Results were adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Being employed decreased as physical and mental health deteriorated and with self-reported conditions: diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions. Back pain, arthritis, cancer, obesity, and being a current smoker are associated with employment but not when quality of life is added to the model. Conclusions: There were significant associations between health and employment. Understanding these relationships could inform policies and guidelines for preventing declines in employment in mature age women.

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Direct and indirect effects of obesity on U.S. labor market outcomes of older working age adults

Cited by 35 publications

References 25 publications

Lifetime Direct Medical Costs of Childhood Obesity

Lifetime Direct Medical Costs of Childhood Obesity

Relative weight and disability retirement: a prospective cohort study

The Association of Health and Employment in Mature Women: A Longitudinal Study

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