Obesity Costs U.S. $147 billion Annually

Much of the costs to Medicare are a result of the added prescription drug benefit. The study shows that Medicare prescription drug payments for obese individuals are roughly $600 more per year than drug payments for normal weight beneficiaries. The researchers also found that 8.5% of Medicare expenditures, 11.8% of Medicaid expenditures, and 12.9% of private payer expenditures are attributable to obesity.

In addition to the study, CDC has issued its first comprehensive set of evidence-based recommendations to help communities tackle the problem of obesity through programs and policies that promote healthy eating and physical activity. The report–Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States–and a companion implementation guide, appear in CDC's MMWR Recommendations and Reports, and are also available on the CDC Web site.

CDC partnered with the International City/County Management Association to pilot test a set of obesity prevention measures in 20 communities. The resulting 24 recommended strategies and suggested measures are now being pilot tested by Minnesota and Massachusetts state health departments to gauge their success. The strategies include locating schools within easy walking distance of residential areas, and improving the availability of affordable healthier food and beverages.