Obesity and related diseases will lead to dramatically increased health costs
- In 1991 obesity cost the New Zealand health sector about 2.5% of the year's health care costs.
- This underestimated the full cost of weight-associated disease.
- Costs will now be higher because of rising obesity levels. Adult obesity in New Zealand increased from 17% in 1997 to 21% in 2003.
- In developed countries, estimates of health costs arising from obesity range from 2-7% of annual health budgets.
- The cost of diabetes health services in New Zealand in 2001/02 was an estimated $247 million, with large future increases expected.
References
Food and nutrition guidelines for healthy adults: A background paper . Wellington, Ministry of Health, 2003. (See chapter 12: Obesity. Financial burden of obesity)
Health care costs of obesity in New Zealand . Swinburn B, [et al] International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders 1997; 21(10): 891-6
The social report 2005 . Wellington, Ministry of Social Development, 2005
Submission to the Inquiry into Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in NZ . Wellington, Fight the Obesity Epidemic Inc, 2006. Pages 28-29
Type 2 diabetes: Managing for better health outcomes . Wellington, PricewaterhouseCoopers for Diabetes New Zealand, 2001
