According to the latest study by the World Obesity Federation and RTI International, the prevalence of overweight and obesity will cost 3.3% of global GDP by 2060.
The study, which was reviewed by experts and published in BMJ Global Health, investigates the current economic impact of obesity in 161 countries. It provides the first country-specific global estimate of the economic impacts of non-communicable disease (NCD), primarily due to the avoidable healthcare costs of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease caused by obesity.
It is anticipated that the impact on GDP will increase as a result of the rising prevalence of obesity, population changes, and economic expansion. The study determined that $2,2 trillion could be saved if the number of obese people remained at 2019 levels. A reduction of 5% in the projected prevalence of NCDs between 2020 and 2060 would result in average annual savings of $429 billion worldwide.
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China, the United States, and India are anticipated to incur the greatest economic burden due to overweight and obesity. It is estimated that this will cost China over $10 trillion, the United States over $2.5 trillion, and India close to $850 billion. Germany, Canada, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Japan are among the other nations where the economic costs of overweight and obesity are expected to exceed $100 billion. It is anticipated to cost the United Arab Emirates the greatest proportion of their GDP (11.04%) among these nations.
Currently, it is estimated that obesity costs 2.19 percent of the global GDP. The estimated economic loss per capita in 2019 ranges from US$6 in low-income nations to US$1,110 in high-income nations, which reflects the wage and GDP disparity between these regions.
Economy and obesity
Medical fees account for nearly all (99.8%) of direct costs on average throughout the world. The cost of premature mortality contributes significantly (on average, 69.1%) to all indirect expenses. The impact of indirect costs on GDP is greater than that of direct costs (61-88% vs. 12-39% across income groups). Prior research has focused exclusively on the latter, capturing only a small portion of the economic effects of overweight and obesity.
In January of this year, the World Obesity Federation predicted that by 2030, one billion people would be obese. In collaboration with RTI International, the organization launched a pilot study on the economic impact of overweight and obesity in eight countries last year, with a focus on the economic impact of overweight and obesity. Instead of focusing on individual responsibility, the World Obesity Federation is urging world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly to address the root cause of overweight and obesity with systemic solutions.
