Economic Causes and Consequences of Obesity

Abstract

Obesity is not only a health but also an economic phenomenon. This chapter (a) examines underlying economic causes, such as technological advancements, behind the obesity epidemic; (b) describes economic consequences of obesity, including increasing obesity-related medical expenditures; and (c) discusses the role of government in combating the obesity epidemic. Because of the high costs of obesity, and the fact that the majority of these costs are financed by taxpayers, there is a clear motivation for government to try to reduce these costs. However, because obesity may result from poor information and addictive behavior and/or as a result of living in an increasingly obesogenic environment, interventions will need to be multifaceted to ensure the best chance of success.

Measuring Socioeconomic Inequality in Obesity: Looking Beyond the Obesity Threshold

“…On the other side of the energy expenditure‐weight equation, physical activity has been declining over the same period. Technological progress and the reduction in jobs requiring manual labor has resulted in more sedentary lifestyles for all SES groups in the United States, also potentially contributing to lower socioeconomic inequality in obesity (Finkelstein et al 2005). However, our study also reveals that even though it is decreasing, socioeconomic inequality in obesity is still sizeable when its severity is considered.…”

Obesity, food restriction, and implicit attitudes to healthy and unhealthy foods: Lessons learned from the implicit relational assessment procedure

“…Over the past three decades, obesity rates have exploded at an alarming rate (Finucane et al, 2011), to the point that one in three adults in the United States (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014) as well as one in five Europeans are currently overweight (WHO, 2013). As prevalence rates have grown so too have the health-related, socioeconomic, and psychological costs associated with this phenomenon (Finkelstein, Ruhm, & Kosal, 2005;Wardle & Cooke, 2005). With obesity comes an increased risk of type-II diabetes, adult heart disease, as well as several forms of cancer and premature morbidity (Reilly, et al, 2003;Wang, McPherson, Marsh, Gortmaker, & Brown, 2011).…”

A mass phenomenon: The social evolution of obesity

“…Obese persons are more likely to suffer from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, various types of cancer and many other diseases (Field et al, 2001, Flegal et al, 2005. As a consequence, obese persons do not only spend more time and money on health care (Finkelstein et al, 2005, OECD, 2010 but they also pass away earlier. For example, compared to their lean counterparts, 20 year old US Americans can expect to die about four years earlier when their bmi exceed 35 and about 13 years earlier when their bmi exceeds 45 (Fontaine et al, 2003).…”

“…The most popular factors suggested in the literature are decreasing food prices, decreasing effective food prices through readily available convenience foods and restaurant supply, and less physical activity on the job and in the household (see e.g. Finkelstein et al, 2005, OECD, 2010. But these explanations entail some unresolved puzzles with respect to the timing of the obesity epidemic.…”