The impact of obesity on health status: some implications for health care costs

Obesity (defined as a body mass index > 30 kg/m2) is common in middle-aged Europeans. The prevalence is notably high in women from Mediterranean and Eastern European countries. In most European countries the prevalence of obesity has been shown to be increasing. When the impact of obesity on health status is assessed this should be done at many levels. Not only should be looked at mortality or diseases and disorders associated with obesity. Physical functioning and quality of life are also of great importance although they may not be bound to any specific diagnosis. Mobility disability has been shown to be more strongly related to obesity than the association between obesity and mortality. Estimation of direct health care costs attributable to obesity vary between 1-5% of the total health care expenditure depending on the definition of obesity and the methods for calculating these costs. This ranks obesity among the major determinants of health care costs.