"The cost of obesity in the US"

[Prada]

Article is quite implicit but I like the fact it has cold hard numbers and I reiterate that we must tax their fat asses. They are a burden upon the health care system, society and economy.

BOSTON, Massachusetts: Obesity - which affects one in every three Americans and the illnesses associated with it cost the United States some $90.7 billion a year in health care costs, a University of Pennsylvania researcher said late on Saturday.

Among developed countries, the United States has the most obese and overweight people, representing 66 per cent of its overall population. Costs tied to excess pounds account for 5.04 per cent of all US health care costs.

The calculations by Professor Adam Gilden Tsai of the University of Pennsylvania, presented at a conference on obesity here on Saturday, are based on a comparison of 30 previous studies on the cost of obesity for the US health care system.

An obese person racks up an additional $1,034 in health care costs for doctors’ visits, medications and medical procedures compared with a person of average weight. For someone who is overweight but not yet obese, the medical bills amount to $273 more a year, or 9.3 per cent more than those of an average-weight person.

And obese patients over the age of 65 pay an additional $2,511 in medical bills. Obesity often leads to other conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Other studies sought to determine whether gastric bypass surgery and similar procedures were “a good investment for health plans.” Such operations generally cost between 15,000 and $25,000 and are not covered by most health insurance plans, according to Derek Brown of North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park.

Although the financial benefits of such procedures are less evident in the short term, Brown said, they are actually more economical over the course of seven years in terms of medical savings.

[Mizfit]

To tax them would create a bigger issue.

They would then in turn start sueing the companies that make the food that make them fat - the cycle will be never ending

[biglouie250]

i did report on this back in college(public speaking) only i was more harsh and the fat people in the class never spoke to me again

[DNoMac]

A fat tax, hahahahhaaaha!! I love the idea

[Prada]

To tax them would create a bigger issue.

They would then in turn start sueing the companies that make the food that make them fat - the cycle will be never ending

As though they dont do it now.
In todays day and age only a caveman doesnt know that eating Mcds 5x per week will eventually clog your arteries. The same goes for smoking.

i did report on this back in college(public speaking) only i was more harsh and the fat people in the class never spoke to me again

Well done,

A fat tax, hahahahhaaaha!! I love the idea

Hell yeah, fu*k em, they dont care about their health fine but I'm not paying for their quadruple bypass surgery, diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, stroke, cancer, and all the costs associated with their morbidly obsese ass. Why should we be cast the burden of their being nonchalant, indifferent and ignorant? If anything they should pay for my gym membership, supplements and organic food because Im doing them a favor by not be a burden on the budget. See the irony?

[Phreak101]

How about the have FAA meetings for the morbidly obese (Fat-Asses Anonymous)

All jokes aside, this is becoming a huge issue. Granted, McD's food is cheap, and why would a fat woman who works 10 hour days want to cook when she can feed all of her piglets for 9 bucks. But cmon, we are becoming a nation that is going to fall through the Earth with our combined weight one day...

[Logan13]

To tax them would create a bigger issue.

They would then in turn start sueing the companies that make the food that make them fat - the cycle will be never ending

Agreed. And than they would form a movement demanding equal rights (equal protection under the law).............

[gixxerboy1]

[QUOTE=Prada]Other studies sought to determine whether gastric bypass surgery and similar procedures were “a good investment for health plans.” Such operations generally cost between 15,000 and $25,000
QUOTE]

If health insurance starts to cover this I'll be pissed. I would understand why they would from a business end. Its cheaper in the long run for them. But it reward fat people for being lazy. I have a few health problem and its amazing what i have to fight my insurance to get covered.