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Lifetime Productivity Losses Associated with Obesity Status in Early Adulthood

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  • Kristian Neovius
  • Clas Rehnberg
  • Finn Rasmussen
  • Martin Neovius

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a well-known risk factor for sick leave, disability pension and premature death. Obesity is therefore presumably related to in-creased productivity losses. Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the lifetime productivity losses to society associated with obesity status. Methods: This study was based on a 38-year follow-up of a nationwide cohort of 45 920 Swedish men performing mandatory military conscription tests at age 18.7±0.5 years. Body mass index (BMI) based on measured height and weight at the time of military conscription tests was used to define underweight (>18.5kg/m 2 ), normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m 2 ), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m 2 ) and obesity (≥30.0kg/m 2 ). Data on sick leave, disability pension and premature death were retrieved from national registers. The calculations were adjusted for socioeconomic index, smoking and muscular strength. Results: Using the human capital approach, the lifetime productivity losses were calculated as 55.6 (95% CI 50.7, 62.0) × €1000 and 55.6 (95% CI 50.9, 61.4)× €1000 for underweight and normal weight, respectively, and 72.6 (95% CI 66.3, 80.7)× € 1000 and 95.4 (95% CI 89.0, 102.9) × € 1000 for overweight and obesity, respectively. If using the friction cost method instead, the estimated productivity losses were reduced by about 80%. Conclusion: Obesity is associated with almost twice as high productivity losses to society as for normal weight over a lifetime. These costs are important to include in health economic analyses of obesity intervention programmes in order to ensure an effective allocation of resources from a societal perspective. Copyright Springer International Publishing AG 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Kristian Neovius & Clas Rehnberg & Finn Rasmussen & Martin Neovius, 2012. "Lifetime Productivity Losses Associated with Obesity Status in Early Adulthood," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 309-317, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:aphecp:v:10:y:2012:i:5:p:309-317
    DOI: 10.1007/BF03261865
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johannesson, Magnus & Karlsson, Goran, 1997. "The friction cost method: A comment," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 249-255, April.
    2. A. Konnopka & M. Bödemann & H.-H. König, 2011. "Health burden and costs of obesity and overweight in Germany," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 12(4), pages 345-352, August.
    3. Koopmanschap, Marc A. & Rutten, Frans F. H. & van Ineveld, B. Martin & van Roijen, Leona, 1995. "The friction cost method for measuring indirect costs of disease," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 171-189, June.
    4. Franco Sassi, 2010. "Obesity and the Economics of Prevention," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14244.
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    Cited by:

    1. Petra Landovská & Martina Karbanová, 2023. "Social costs of obesity in the Czech Republic," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 24(8), pages 1321-1341, November.
    2. Jesse Kigozi & Sue Jowett & Martyn Lewis & Pelham Barton & Joanna Coast, 2016. "Estimating productivity costs using the friction cost approach in practice: a systematic review," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 17(1), pages 31-44, January.
    3. Maximilian Tremmel & Ulf-G. Gerdtham & Peter M. Nilsson & Sanjib Saha, 2017. "Economic Burden of Obesity: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Jamison Pike & Scott D. Grosse, 2018. "Friction Cost Estimates of Productivity Costs in Cost-of-Illness Studies in Comparison with Human Capital Estimates: A Review," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 765-778, December.
    5. Kooreman, Peter & Scherpenzeel, Annette, 2014. "High frequency body mass measurement, feedback, and health behaviors," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 14(C), pages 141-153.

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