America's Obesity Crisis: The Health and Economic Costs of Excess Weight

This study calculates the prevalence and economic effects of diseases related to obesity and overweight in the United States. These costs are paid by individuals and their households, employers, government, and society. The study uses a range of data sources to comprehensively establish the prevalence of conditions related to obesity, as well as the costs. To capture all costs, this study evaluated the direct costs of health care services to treat these diseases—costs paid by individuals, families, insurance companies, and employers—as well as indirect costs that relate to work absences, lost wages, and reduced economic productivity for the individuals suffering from the conditions and their family caregivers.  For each condition, the direct health care costs and the indirect costs are calculated and presented separately.

The full pdf from the Milken Institute can be downloaded below.