Report tallies cost of obesity

Study involving Blue Cross and Minnesota officials puts a dollar estimate on how much the growing overweight and obesity rates in the state would translate into medical costs.

By KARLEE WEINMANN, Star Tribune

Last update: January 31, 2008 - 9:48 PM

If Minnesota's obesity rates continue to increase, more than waistlines could grow. ¶ Health care costs will rise disproportionately for the overweight and especially for the obese, according to a study released today by the Minnesota Department of Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. ¶ "We really can save dollars and save lives if we tackle obesity," said Dr. Sanne Magnan, commissioner of health. "This report paints a pretty dire consequence in terms of dollars and lives if we don't walk down a different path."

KEY FINDINGS

• If Minnesotans pack on the pounds at current rates, fewer than one fourth will be a healthy weight by 2020, according to projections in the study prepared by Kenneth Thorpe, chairman of health policy and management at Emory University in Atlanta.

• Treatment costs for overweight or obese people will be 61 percent more by 2020 than for people of healthy weight.

• Unless rates go down, health problems related to overweight and obesity will account for 31 percent of the increase in health care costs projected to occur by 2020.

• That would add $900 million a year to the health care tab for Minnesota by 2010 and $3.7 billion a year by 2020.

Overweight or obese?

As determined by the Body Mass Index (BMI), which applies to both adult men and women, a person 5 feet 6 inches is overweight at 155 pounds and is obese at 186 pounds. A person 6 feet is overweight at 185 pounds and obese at 221 pounds or more.

How does that affect health?

Being overweight, and particularly being obese, increases the risk of chronic diseases that are costly to treat, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

If costs rise, will health insurance be affected?

As costs rise, health premiums generally go up, along with taxes supporting public insurance programs, said Julie Sonier, director of health economics at the Department of Health.

Blue Cross Blue Shield already has seen employers scale back or drop coverage for employees because of rising costs, said Dr. Marc Manley, vice president and medical director for population health at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Holding obesity in check could be key to keeping health care affordable, Manley said.

Will the overweight be penalized with higher premiums?

Manley said Blue Cross Blue Shield will not raise premiums for the overweight and obese, but will work with employers to offer financial incentives for having a normal weight.

What could reduce obesity rates?

Magnan recommended that communities provide more sidewalks, bike paths and parks to facilitate 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Employers can have sidewalks nearby and can allow employees breaks for walks. "That's probably the most powerful step we can take right now to have an immediate impact on people's behavior," Manley said.