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Economics

Hello I am Doctor Becky Nomics. I am here to tell you about how obesity affects economics. Well firstly let me tell you what economics means. Economics is the study of how we make, deliver and use goods (like food) and services (like health care). Does obesity affect economics? Yes, in many ways actually. One example is health care. People who are obese usually pay more for health and life insurance. They pay more because they get sick more often than people who are not overweight and they are more likely to suffer from diseases caused by obesity: these include diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. They go to the hospital more frequently and the medicines to treat their diseases are more expensive. It’s not unusual for obese people to have more than one obesity -related disease.

Another area is work. People who are obese have more sick days. If their employer provides health care they are paid less than the normal weight person. The economists are not sure why, but maybe because it cost more to insure obese people.

The diet and weight loss industries are gaining a lot of money.Copyright The Big Problem 2008

Airplanes have to use more fuel if their passengers are heavy. Copyright The Big Problem 2008

Did you know that planes use more fuel if their passengers are heavy? Some airlines like Southwest make obese people pay for two seats. With all the extra fuel used by the plane more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. That’s not good for climate change.

Certain jobs need fit people (like the army and navy) are finding it harder to recruit people who are not overweight.

Is everyone losing money and work time due to obesity? No, some people making lots of money. Can you guess who? The weight loss and diet industry make billions of dollars every year. Guess what? It looks like they will be around for a long time because a government study found that two-thirds of people will put all the weight they lost back on within a year and nearly everyone within five years.

How many people die each year from obesity related illnesses? In 2004 between 112,000 and 365,000 deaths were thought to be related to obesity.

As kids get fatter they may not live as long as their parents. All the diseases that kill adults are now affecting kids. All of the medical and health gains that help people live longer are being lost. Kids are less healthy than their parents were when they were young. This is Becky Nomics signing off.

Philipson, Tomas, Carolanne Dai, and Lorens Helmchen. "The Economics of Obesity.
" Economic Reseach Service. May 2004. University of Chicago. 07 July 2007 <www.ers.usda.gov>.
Lisovicz, Susan. "Cnn in the Money." CNN. 25 Nov. 2005. 1 July 2007 <www.cnn.com>.