Do obese workers cost more?
Take Home Messages:
Employees’ medical costs and costs due to paid time off work increased with increasing body mass index.
Annual health care costs were 11% higher for underweight employees, 20% higher for obese employees and 72% higher for severely obese employees than for employees of a normal weight.
Why the research matters:
Obesity rates are rising in the general population, placing an increased burden on the healthcare system and on the economy. This study looks at the cost of obesity to employers.
What the research involved:
Obesity-related health problems can result in workers taking sick leave and incurring significant medical expenses. This study investigated the economic cost to employers caused by obesity and its complications.
The study, conducted in the USA, used data gathered from 2003 to 2005 by government and employer funded health insurance plans. This provided information about employees’ medical insurance claims, general health and work absences due to poor health. 88,894 employees were included in the study. Employees were divided into 5 groups based on body mass index for the purpose of data analysis:
- Underweight;
- Normal weight;
- Overweight;
- Obese; and
- Severely obese.
Summary of research findings:
- The annual health care costs were 11% higher for underweight employees, 20% higher for obese employees and 72% higher for severely obese employees than for employees of a normal weight;
- The annual health care costs for overweight employees was 1.5% less than for employees of a normal weight;
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Compared to those of a normal weight, those that were overweight were 1.1 times more likely to incur medical expenses;
- Those that were obese were 1.24 times more likely to incur medical expenses than those of a normal weight; and
- Those that were severely obese were 1.48 times more likely to incur medical expenses than those of a normal weight.
- Those that were underweight were half as likely to incur medical expenses compared to those of a normal weight; and
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Compared to employees of a normal weight, the likelihood of incurring costs due to paid time off work was:
- 1.21 times higher for underweight employees;
- 1.68 times higher for overweight employees; and
- 2.94 times higher for obese employees and 3.78 times higher for severely obese employees.
The study concluded that medical costs and costs due to paid time off work increased with increasing body mass index.
Original research:
Economic costs of obesity to self-insured employers.
Durden ED, Huse D, Ben-Joseph R, Chu BC.
J Occup Environ Med. 2008 Sep;50(9):991-7.