According to research group RTI International, Americans whose weight is 30 or more pounds over a healthy weight cost the U.S. an estimated $147 billion in medical bills in 2008. Obesity now accounts for 9.1% of all medical spending. An obese patient incurs on average $4,871 in medical bills a year compared with $3,442 for a patient of healthy weight. Obese patients spend $600 more in prescription medications a year than patients of healthy weight.
About 34% of adult Americans were obese in 2006.
"Obesity is the single biggest reason for the increase in health care costs," says Eric Finkelstein, a health economist with RTI.
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