Did you know...
- Children treated for obesity are roughly three times more expensive for the healthcare system than children of normal weight.[1]
- Severely overweight people spend more on healthcare than smokers.[2]
- The current indirect and direct costs of treating obesity has been estimated at $117 billion per year.[3]
As rates of childhood overweight and obesity increase, the healthcare industry understands the need for action. Children are being diagnosed with a host of obesity-related health conditions previously seen exclusively in adults, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Obesity negatively impacts both the health of the child and that of the healthcare system due to the severe financial costs associated with the condition over the life of the diagnosed. Most importantly, while children may not represent a large portion of current healthcare costs, overweight children who become obese adults represent a staggering burden in terms of future healthcare expenditures. Tackling childhood obesity is the right thing to do both for the health of the child and the bottom line.
Learn more about the issue of childhood obesity.
The Role of the Healthcare System
Healthcare providers, insurers and other industry representatives play critical roles in promoting healthy lifestyles for children. While the healthcare community is concerned about childhood obesity most are not equipped to prevent, diagnose or treat the condition. Common barriers include lack of time, knowledge, and reimbursement for providing appropriate counseling along with the poor availability of effective interventions.
The Alliance is working to overcome these barriers by collaborating with healthcare experts to facilitate better solutions for providers and the healthcare delivery system in addressing this epidemic.
Join the Alliance's Healthcare Initiative
The Alliance invites representatives from across the healthcare field to join us as we explore strategies and solutions to assist healthcare providers, insurers and others in the industry in curtailing childhood obesity. To learn more about the how to get involved or for general information on the health costs and effects of childhood obesity please email: Healthcare@HealthierGeneration.org.
Helpful Guidelines, Tools and Resources
The American Heart Association and other organizations have materials designed for healthcare professionals to help them identify and prevent childhood obesity. We encourage you to check them out.
General information
A National at Risk: Obesity in the United States A Statistical Sourcebook (RWJF and AHA)
[1] Thompson and Medstat. “Childhood Obesity: Costs, Treatment Patterns and Disparities in Care.” 2006.
[2] Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2006 Update, American Heart Association.
[3] Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2006 Update American Heart Association