Health Care For An Increasing Obese Population

MEDICAL CARE FOR AN INCREASING OBESE POPULATION
ANIELCA GONZALEZ
HCS/440
March 11, 15
DONNA LUPINACCI

The topic for my week two assignment is the medical cost for an increasing obese population. The purpose of this paper is to examine the increasing cost of medical care in relation to obesity and come up with possible solution to the problem. My research consisted of three articles, Obesity and the Rising Cost of Healthcare in America, Price tag for childhood obesity: 19,000 per kid, and U.S. Economy has a weight problem as cost of obesity mount.
Obesity and the Rising Cost of Healthcare in America
The author of this article explains how obesity puts a huge strain on the U.S. economy and the health care system. Tang (2013) states, obese people accounts for 31 percent of the U.S. but individuals with obese-related health problems and diseases account for 61 percent of the health care cost of the United States. The author explains that if obesity keeps growing at the current rate medical cost associated with obesity and its related medical problems will become too large for the current federal healthcare system to cover. The need to reduce obesity is critical in saving government money that can use to fund other government programs. The author further states that if obesity rate continues to raise the medical cost associated with its treatment and management will increase payroll taxes and income taxes paid on social security. Tang (2013) states, the cost for treating obese related disease is estimated to rise $48 billion to $66 billion per year if obesity continues to rise at its current rate. The author suggest that obesity needs to be reduce and that government should encourage programs to educate people on being healthy in efforts to increase healthy lifestyles in hopes to reduce the prevalence of obesity in the United States.
Price tag for childhood obesity: 19,000 per kid
The author of this article compares the medical cost between healthy and obese children. Healy (2014) states, the cost associated with obesity childhood obesity average 19,000 in contrast to 12,900 per person or children of healthy weight. The estimated 19,000 reflect direct health care cost of doctors visits, treatments, and medications but does not reflect indirect cost such loss of productivity and absenteeism and decrease productivity into adulthood. Furthermore, the author explains that one in every five children in the U.S. is obese. In addition, the author elaborates on other obese-related medical conditions that can affect a child later in life increasing the risk for other health problems as this kids reach adulthood. These medical conditions are chronic, and deteriorating to a person health, and devastating to the federal health care system. Obesity-related diseases include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and other illnesses. The author, suggest that the government should implement new school-based interventional programs created to reduce child obesity and promote healthy living. The author states that if childhood obesity decrease by a certain threshold billions of dollars can be saved in health care expenditures.
U.S. economy has a weight problem as cost of obesity mount
The author of this article elaborates on the link between obesity and increased medical expenses due to the impact obesity have on a person. Adverse effects such as reduced productivity, higher medical care expenditure, and income inequality. Medical costs related to obesity and obese related diseases have skyrocketed in the last years. Stilwell (2015) states, some 35.7% of American between the

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