Obesity And Health Care Essay

Obesity rates have increased dramatically in the United States over the last several decades. Concurrent to this rise in obesity was the rise in treatments for obesity related co-morbidities. Costs associated with rising levels of obesity are cited as a significant reason for increasing health care costs (Hammond & Levine, 2010). According to the Center for Disease and Control, one third of all U.S. adults are obese. Within this population, there is an elevated prevalence of significant chronic health conditions like heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancers (Ogden, Lamb, Carroll, Flegal, 2010, p. 1). Economists and Health Care Administrators opined that in general medical costs for obese individuals were significantly higher than those for those individuals having weights within medically recommended guidelines. In 2009, Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen, and Dietz documented the per person cost stating that “across all payers, per capita medical spending for obese people is $1,429 higher per year, or roughly 42 percent higher, that for someone of normal weight” (p. 7).

Diabetics in specific demand many things from health care that contribute to a high medical cost as well as other diseases that obesity leads to. In order to prevent the high cost of medical care for the citizens that get gastric bypass surgery, insurances and health care providers can focus on providing the appropriate resources and more support. This would avoid getting to the point of there not being any other alternative option available. In order for this to have an effect, the community would have to have more cost-effective strategies like grocery stores accessible to people and at reasonable prices. As well as more gyms, recreations center, and resources of living a healthier lifestyle help the economy as a