According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, and the average American adult is 23 pounds overweight, Obesity is not only a health problem, it is also a societal problem. Health economists have warned that rising healthcare costs are associated with the obesity epidemic. Now research reports that health spending for obesity is double what it was a decade ago.
The study, published in Health Affairs, updated estimates of the costs of obesity for the U.S. Researchers at the nonprofit research group RTI International in North Carolina analyzed per capita spending across payers (Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers) for inpatient, non-inpatient, and prescription drug spending categories.
In 1998. obesity health spending was approximately $78.5 billion, with about half financed by Medicare and Medicaid. The researchers found that obesity health care costs doubled by 2008, reaching 147 billion. Obesity-related health problems rose to 9.1% of total health spending, up from 6.5 per cent in 1998. This reflects the higher costs of treating obesity-related conditions including diabetes and heart disease.
"We found that the increased prevalence of obesity is responsible for almost $40 billion of increased medical spending through 2006, including $7 billion in Medicare prescription drug costs," the study authors write. "We estimate that the medical costs of obesity could have risen to $147 billion per year by 2008."
Lipitrex Helps Treat Obesity
According to the CDC, obesity and diabetes are rapidly growing health problems. Obesity is the highest risk factor for developing diabetes. Furthermore, health care costs are much higher for obese people. Obese diabetics cost over $190 billion a year to treat due to higher rates of health problems including foot ulcers and amputations.
An effective way to promote healthy weight loss and support weight management is to take natural nutrients, along with a healthy diet and exercise plan. Progressive Health's Lipitrex contains potent ingredients like pinnothin, CLA, bitter orange, chromium, green tea, guarana and caffeine. Lipitrex has been developed to control appetite, stimulate lipolysis (fat burning), jump start the metabolism and increase energy levels.
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