Obesity and overweight are among the main risk factors of noncommunicable diseases that kill millions of people worldwide. How much do these diseases cost health systems and economies?

In the United States, every obese person spends about $2,741 a year for additional health care. In Japan, overweight and obesity cost $1,537 a person. US businesses spend about $66 billion because of the absenteeism and lower productivity caused by overweight and obesity. The numbers are similar for European countries.

Read the transcript

http://bit.ly/2xtM7k6

Read the report

https://www.adb.org/publications/imminent-obesity-crisis-asia-and-pacific-first-cost-estimates

Authors

Matthias Helble, ADBI senior economist and co-chair of the Research Department

https://www.adb.org/adbi/about/staff-profiles/matthias-helble

Kris Francisco, ADBI research associate at the time the report was published

Know more about ADBI’s work on overweight and obesity

https://www.adb.org/adbi/search/year/2017?keywords=obesity

Read a related ADBI blog post

Obesity in Pacific Island countries and territories: How big a problem is it?

By Jillian Wate

bit.ly/2xqE5b5