Obesity and Comorbidities
Comorbidity is a disease or condition which occurs at the same time as another disease. Obesity is a risk factor for the development of life-threatening and costly comorbid conditions. These comorbid illnesses create a financial impact on society and individuals, with obesity-related medical costs estimated at over 140 billion dollars nationally and personal financial losses varying due to lost work in addition to healthcare costs ¹.

People who are obese are at increased risk for the below comorbid conditions and diseases:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), or high triglycerides
• Heart disease and heart attacks
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)
• Sleep apnea, snoring and breathing problems
• Some cancers (endometrial, breast, colon, kidney, gallbladder, and liver)
• Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders
• Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning

The Cost of Obesity
While considering the financial and personal effects of obesity over a lifetime, the cost of weight loss surgery could end up being less than the expenses resulting from sickness, dieting, or missing out on work and family. One study tallied the various costs associated with being overweight in America and found the annual cost of obesity per person is roughly $4,879 for a woman and $2,646 for an obese man².

Below are charts tallying the annual costs of men and women with Type 2 Diabetes:

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¹ Finkelstein EA1, Trogdon JG, Cohen JW, Dietz W. Annual medical spending attributable to obesity: payer-and service-specific estimates. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009 Sep-Oct;28(5):w822-31. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.28.5.w822
² Stop Obesity Alliance. Fast Facts: Costs of Obesity. Available: https://stop.publichealth.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs4356/files/2022-06/fast-facts-costs-of-obesity.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2024.