see attahced for instructions
the topic is the economic challenegs of obesity
bibliography due now and can extend for the outline
note for outline-
1. Use an APA outline format rather than bullet points. A sentence for each entry is OK,
but not necessary. Phrases/titles are fine.
2. Focus on the flow of topics so you can use this Outline to write your paper. You will
use the section headings and subheadings in your paper to guide the flow, so do the
strategic thinking now.
3. Put your references into your Outline where they will be used in the paper!
4. Tell me how long each section (not subsection) will be in pages or number of words.
BUSI 629
Annotated Bibliography
Grading Rubric (50 Points)
Criteria
Levels of Achievement
Content 70%
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
Not Present
Annotations
Points: 12 to 11
There is a clear, well-
focused topic for each
entry.
Every annotation has
sentences that
demonstrate high-level
critical thinking skills in
summaries, opinions, and
applications.
All supportive facts are
reported accurately with
proper use of quotation
marks for all sources.
Points: 10 to 8
Most entries contain a
focused topic.
Most annotations have
sentences that demonstrate
well-developed critical
thinking skills in
summaries, opinions, and
applications.
Most supportive facts are
reported accurately; use of
quotation marks for all
sources is evident.
Points: 7 to 1
Some entries contain a
topic; focus or clarity of
entry needs some
development.
Some annotations have
sentences that demonstrate
basic critical thinking skills
in summaries, opinions, and
applications.
Some supportive facts are
reported accurately; use of
quotation marks for most
sources is evident.
Points: 0
Focus is unclear or
missing based on the
entries provided.
Does not fully
demonstrate critical
thinking skills in
summaries, opinions,
and applications.
Supportive facts are
not reported
accurately; use of
quotation marks for
all sources is not
evident.
References
(Quality/Quantity)
Points: 12 to 11
All sources used for
quotations and facts are
credible.
Minimum of 20 sources
that are less than 10 years
old.
Points: 10 to 8
Most sources used for
quotations and facts are
credible.
Only 10–19 sources
provided.
Points: 7 to 1
Some sources used for
quotations and facts are
credible.
Only 5–9 sources provided.
Points: 0
Sources are not
credible
Less than 5 sources
are present.
References
(Formatting)
Points: 11 to 10
All citations follow
current APA formatting
with no errors.
Points: 9 to 8
Sources are cited with 1–2
errors in current APA
format.
Points: 7 to 1
Sources are cited with 2–4
errors in current APA
format.
Points: 0
Sources are cited
with 5 or more errors
in current APA
format.
Structure 30%
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
Not Present
Spelling/Grammar
Points: 15 to 14
Spelling and grammar
are correct.
Points: 13 to 11
Spelling and grammar are
mostly correct with only
1–2 errors noted.
Points: 10 to 1
Spelling and grammar
require further review with
3–6 errors noted.
Points: 0
Spelling and
grammar review is
not evident or
incomplete; 7 or
more errors are noted.
BUSI 629
Outline Rubric
Grading Rubric (50 Points)
Criteria
Levels of Achievement
Content 70%
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
Not Present
Thesis Statement
Points: 11 to 10
Thesis statement is clear,
logical, and sets up the focus
of the paper.
Point: 9 to 8
Thesis statement is clear and
logical, but the purpose is
unclear.
Points: 7 to 1
Thesis statement is present but
lacks clarity, logic, and purpose.
Points: 0
Thesis statement is
unclear or not present in
the outline.
Research
Question(s)/ Issues
Being Addressed
Points: 12 to 11
Research questions are
clearly stated and capture the
full scope of the approach of
research effort.
Points: 10 to 8
Research questions are stated
but lack full clarity.
Points: 7 to 1
Research questions are stated
but require more depth to
ensure focus.
Points: 0
Research questions are
not stated clearly, and the
scope of research is not
identified.
References
Points: 12 to 11
Minimum of 20 sources, less
than 10 years old, are used.
All citations follow current
APA format with no errors.
Points: 10 to 8
Only 15–19 sources provided.
Cited sources include 1–2
errors in current APA format.
Points: 7 to 1
Only 10–14 sources provided.
Cited sources include 2–4 errors
in current APA format.
Points: 0
Nine or fewer sources are
present.
Cited sources include 5 or
more errors in current
APA format.
Structure 30%
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
Not Present
Spelling/
Grammar
Points: 8
Spelling and grammar are
correct.
Points: 7 to 6
Spelling and grammar are
mostly correct with only 1–2
errors noted.
Points: 5 to 1
Spelling and grammar require
further review with 3–6 errors
noted.
Points: 0
Spelling and grammar
review is not evident or
incomplete; 7 or more
errors are noted.
Outline
Points: 7
Sections of the paper are
determined with estimated
space for each section.
Sections clearly build on
focus from the thesis
statement and research
questions.
Points: 6 to 5
Sections of the paper are
determined with estimated
space for each section.
Sections appear to build on
focus stated in thesis
statement but further clarity is
needed.
Points: 4 to 1
Sections of the paper are
determined, but the estimated
space for each section is not.
Sections mostly build on focus
stated in thesis statement.
Points: 0
Sections of the paper are
not clearly determined.
Sections do not appear to
build on focus stated in
thesis statement.
BUSI 629
RESEARCH PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS
You will write a 25-page research paper in current APA format that focuses on an applied topic
of your choosing related to healthcare economics and decision-making in the healthcare industry
or a healthcare facility. The paper must include at least 20 references in addition to the course
textbook and the Bible. All sources must be less than 10 years old. You will complete an
annotated bibliography, an outline, a draft, and a final paper in order to complete this project.
Annotated Bibliography
You must list at least 20 scholarly sources from peer-reviewed journals, not including the
course textbook and the Bible. A single paragraph of 50–75 words must be provided to
give a brief description of each resource. The annotated bibliography will be submitted
through SafeAssign to check for plagiarism.
Outline
You must include a thesis statement, the research questions/issues being addressed, how
much space will be allotted for each section of the paper, and a preliminary reference list
of at least 20 scholarly articles from peer-reviewed journals. The outline will be
submitted through SafeAssign to check for plagiarism.
Draft
You will create a full rough draft of the research project. This assignment must be at least
25 pages and include at least 20 scholarly references. In your introduction, you must
clearly identify 2 or 3 main discussion points of the literature review.
Final
The final submission for this project will maintain the same parameters as the draft.
However, you will receive feedback on the draft from his/her instructor and must revise
the final based upon this feedback. The final will be submitted through SafeAssign to
check for plagiarism.
Submit the Annotated Bibliography by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 3.
Submit the Outline by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 4.
Submit the Draft by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 5.
Submit the Final by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 7.
BUSI 629
Page 1 of 2
RESEARCH PROJECT – OUTLINE INSTRUCTIONS
You must create an outline that includes a thesis statement, the research questions/issues being
addressed, how much space will be allotted for each section of the paper, and a preliminary
reference list of at least 20 scholarly articles from peer-reviewed journals. All references must be
less than 10 years old. When the assignment is returned, read all instructor feedback in order to
implement it on future assignments.
What to consider in the outline:
1. What is the topic?
2. Why is it significant?
3. What background material is relevant?
4. What is your thesis or purpose statement?
5. What organizational plan will best support your purpose?
6. How much space is estimated per section?
*Also consider the elements noted on the Research Project – Final Instructions when completing
your outline.
Resources:
1. Belcher, W. L. (2009). Week 6: Strengthening your structure. Writing Your Journal
Article in 12 Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage. ISBN: 9781412957014.
2. Purdue OWL – Types of Outlines and Samples
3. Purdue OWL – Four Main Components for Effective Outlines
4. WriteExpress – Writing an Effective Outline
5. University at Albany – How to Write an Outline
6. Sample Outline
Full Sentence Outline:
The full sentence outline format is essentially the same as the alphanumeric outline. The main
difference, as the title suggests, is that full sentences are required at each level of the outline.
This outline is most often used when preparing a traditional essay.
Thesis Statement:
Questions/Issues Being Addressed:
I. Man-made pollution is the primary cause of global warming.
A. Greenhouse gas emissions are widely identified by the scientific community to be
harmful (Smith, 2014).
1. The burning of coal and fossil fuels are the primary releasers of
hazardous greenhouse gases.
BUSI 629
Page 2 of 2
Full sentence outlines are often accompanied with a current APA reference list on a separate
page. Quotes within the outline must also utilize current APA format with in-text citations.
Submit this assignment by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 4.
Running head: OBESITY 1
The Economic Challenges of Obesity: Annotated Bibliography
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
OBESITY 2
The Economic Challenges of Obesity: Annotated Bibliography
Akee, R., Simeonova, E., Copeland, W., Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (2013). Young adult
obesity and household income: Effects of unconditional cash transfers. American
Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 5(2), 1-28.
The article argues that obesity is increasingly threatening the gains that have been so far
achieved in the domain of healthcare in recent decades, especially in the developed
economies. They present several issues of concerning regarding these worrying trends,
and the overall argument is that income differentials play a significant role in the
dynamics of obesity.
Biener, A., Cawley, J., & Meyerhoefer, C. (2017). The high and rising costs of obesity to the US
health care system. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 32(1):6-8
The paper estimates the cost implications of obesity in the United States have reached
unprecedented levels, especially medical costs. According to the authors, obese
individuals have significantly higher spending on medical services than their non-obese
counterparts. This clearly means that obesity triggers additional medical costs, and this
ultimately affects the entire healthcare system.
Bomberg, E., Birch, L., Endenburg, N., German, A. J., Neilson, J., Seligman, H., ... & Day, M. J.
(2017). The financial costs, behavior, and psychology of obesity: a one health analysis.
Journal of Comparative Pathology, 156(4), 310-325.
This paper argues that the indirect and direct cost implications of obesity have maintained
an upward progression for several years now. There is no other epidemic disease that has
risen faster than obesity, and the associated costs are worryingly high. This paper
OBESITY 3
explores the costs that affect such individuals, including the cost implications associated
with pet obesity.
Cawley, J. (2010). The economics of childhood obesity. Health Affairs, 29(3), 364-371.
Cawley embraces a specific examination of how childhood obesity affects the economics
of families and society as a whole. The paper is multifaceted in that it also examines the
economic foundations of the problem, before going ahead and examining the financial
implications that are likely to arise if society and government fail to work toward
reaching a solution.
Colagiuri, S., Lee, C. M., Colagiuri, R., Magliano, D., Shaw, J. E., Zimmet, P. Z., & Caterson, I.
D. (2010). The cost of overweight and obesity in Australia. Medical Journal of
Australia, 192(5), 260-264.
This paper studied that cost of the scourge of obesity in Australia in 2005 and determined
that it was about $21 billion. This is a huge figure, especially considering that it was way
above the initial estimates. This article shows that obesity and the financial problems that
it brings affect many nations, not just the United States.
Cuschieri, S., & Mamo, J. (2016). Getting to grips with the obesity epidemic in Europe. SAGE
Open Medicine, 4, 2050312116670406.
This paper emphasizes the need for every country to have a clear understanding of the
economic ramifications of obesity so that it may come up with the proper policy
interventions to combat the scourge in the most effective way possible. The authors
outline some of the key financial metrics needed for this assessment, and this is important
because it forms a background that can be used to begin understanding obesity.
OBESITY 4
De Oliveira, M. L., Santos, L. M. P., & da Silva, E. N. (2015). The direct healthcare cost of
obesity in Brazil: an application of the cost-of-illness method from the perspective of the
public health system in 2011. PloS One, 10(4), e0121160.
With a focus on Brazil, this article examines the direct healthcare implications that the
country faces in the wake of increased obesity. Worryingly, the study found that the
overall cost implications of obesity for women were five times that of men, meaning that
countries need to invest more in interventions targeted at women as they are worst hit.
Finkelstein, E. A., & Strombotne, K. L. (2010). The economics of obesity. The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91(5), 1520S-1524S.
The article embraces a multifaceted view toward obesity; firstly, it explores the economic
conditions that support the blossoming of obesity; and secondly, it examines that
underlying implications when obesity is allowed to thrive with no controls whatsoever.
There is no doubt that obesity presents a tough challenge for every country, and thus,
combined efforts may be needed to fight the challenges.
Goettler, A., Grosse, A., & Sonntag, D. (2017). Productivity loss due to overweight and obesity:
a systematic review of indirect costs. BMJ Open, 7(10), e014632.
This article approaches the topic of obesity by exploring the economic implications that
arise as a result of reduced productivity among obese individuals. Obesity leads to
reduced productivity in the workplace, and this is associated with huge cost implications
for the organizations. Such organizations are sometimes forced to retrench the
underperforming individuals since they cannot compromise the sustainability of their
operations.
OBESITY 5
James, W. P. T., & McPherson, K. (2017). The costs of overweight. The Lancet Public
Health, 2(5), e203-e204.
The article firstly acknowledges that many medical professionals underestimate the cost
implications of obesity, and this, in turn, compromises the fight against this scourge since
society ends up downplaying the adversity of this problem. James and McPherson point
out that there are huge costs that every other obese individual adds into the healthcare
system, and these are key to the undermining of any efforts made to deal with obesity.
Kim, D. D., & Basu, A. (2016). Estimating the medical care costs of obesity in the United States:
a systematic review, meta-analysis, and empirical analysis. Value in Health, 19(5), 602-
613.
In addition to the direct medical costs of obesity, this article argues that obesity-related
comorbidities also account for a significant portion of the overall costs of obesity. Most
of the studies seem to downplay these indirect implications, and that is perhaps why the
whole topic is not being accorded the seriousness that it deserves.
Kjellberg, J., Larsen, A. T., Ibsen, R., & Højgaard, B. (2017). The socioeconomic burden of
obesity. Obesity Facts, 10(5), 493-502.
This article established that any increase in the body mass index ration leads to a
significant decrease in the average amount of income that such an individual earns. It also
leads to an increase in the healthcare costs that they are likely to require, meaning that
they will have to deal with increased costs but with decreased incomes.
Kudel, I., Huang, J. C., & Ganguly, R. (2018). Impact of obesity on work productivity in
different US occupations: analysis of the national health and wellness survey 2014 to
2015. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60(1), 6.
OBESITY 6
The findings of this paper show that obesity affects the productivity of workers in some
industries more than in others. Some of the most affected industries are Construction,
Arts, and Hospitality. This does not mean that the other industries are not affected; it is
only that the rate of impact is lower than in these highlighted areas.
Levitt, D. E., Jackson, A. W., & MORROW, J. R. (2016). An analysis of the medical costs of
obesity for fifth graders in California and Texas. International Journal of Exercise
Science, 9(1), 26.
This study was specifically aimed at examining the medical costs that stem from
childhood obesity in California and Texas. They found that fifth-grader obesity alone
adds to around $25 billion in cost implications in the United States. This is clearly a huge
figure, and the authors believe that this will trigger a quick response from policymakers.
Scarborough, P., Bhatnagar, P., Wickramasinghe, K. K., Allender, S., Foster, C., & Rayner, M.
(2011). The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking,
alcohol, and obesity in the UK: an update to 2006–07 NHS costs. Journal of Public
Health, 33(4), 527-535.
With a focus on the UK in 2005-2006, this study seeks to establish the specific cost
implications of smoking, obesity, alcohol, and physical inactivity. Obesity was the
costliest among these elements, with a cost implication of £5.1 billion. From the findings,
it is clear that obesity should be combated with the same vigor that smoking has been
fought in recent years.
Seidell, J. C., & Halberstadt, J. (2015). The global burden of obesity and the challenges of
prevention. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 66(Suppl. 2), 7-12.
OBESITY 7
By embracing a multifaceted study in several countries across the world, this study shows
how obesity has led to an upsurge in national healthcare budgets. It clearly shows that
there is a lot to be done in this field, especially considering that now, obesity is expanding
its wings into the developing world.
Song, H. J., Hwang, J., Pi, S., Ahn, S., Heo, Y., Park, S., & Kwon, J. W. (2018). The impact of
obesity and overweight on medical expenditures and disease incidence in Korea from
2002 to 2013. PloS One, 13(5), e0197057.
This study examined the ramifications of obesity in Korea during the period spanning
from 2002 to 2013. From the findings, it is clear that the average rate of obesity in every
demographic group increased significantly. Developed countries should embrace
effective strategies of managing the scourge of obesity to avoid falling into a situation
where the available economic resources can meet the financial expenses of obesity.
Specchia, M. L., Veneziano, M. A., Cadeddu, C., Ferriero, A. M., Mancuso, A., Ianuale, C., ... &
Ricciardi, W. (2014). The economic impact of adult obesity on health systems: a
systematic review. The European Journal of Public Health, 25(2), 255-262.
A huge portion of healthcare resources is channeled to obesity-related causes, as this
article finds out. Again, the authors emphasize the importance of indirect costs in the
discussion on obesity, something that most of the studies examined in this article tend to
ignore. These indirect implications will, in time, be costlier than the direct costs.
Sturm, R., & An, R. (2014). Obesity and economic environments. CA: A Cancer Journal for
Clinicians, 64(5), 337-350.
This article explores a unique perspective in this discussion: the effect of economic
policies aimed at reducing the prevalence of obesity. The authors found that most such
OBESITY 8
strategies may fail to yield the expected returns. There is, therefore, a need to explore
other approaches to ensure that optimal results are attained in fighting this scourge.
Tremmel, M., Gerdtham, U. G., Nilsson, P., & Saha, S. (2017). Economic burden of obesity: a
systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public
Health, 14(4), 435.
This article establishes that so many societal resources are going to waste due to the
rising prevalence of obesity. There is a need for effective policy adjustments to be made
to save society from these problems, and therefore it is important for the affected
stakeholders to work together toward ensuring that this becomes a reality.
Tsai, A. G., Williamson, D. F., & Glick, H. A. (2011). The direct medical cost of overweight and
obesity in the USA: a a quantitative systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 12(1), 50-61.
This paper seeks to examine the per-person cost implications of obesity, as well as the
aggregated estimates. The paper found that the overall cost of obesity amounts to almost
10% of the health care spending budget in the United States. This clearly shows that it is
a significant problem that needs to be dealt with accordingly.
OBESITY 9
References
Akee, R., Simeonova, E., Copeland, W., Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (2013). Young adult
obesity and household income: Effects of unconditional cash transfers. American
Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 5(2), 1-28.
Biener, A., Cawley, J., & Meyerhoefer, C. (2017). The high and rising costs of obesity to the US
health care system. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 32(1):6-8
Bomberg, E., Birch, L., Endenburg, N., German, A. J., Neilson, J., Seligman, H., ... & Day, M. J.
(2017). The financial costs, behavior, and psychology of obesity: a one health analysis.
Journal of Comparative Pathology, 156(4), 310-325.
Cawley, J. (2010). The economics of childhood obesity. Health Affairs, 29(3), 364-371.
Colagiuri, S., Lee, C. M., Colagiuri, R., Magliano, D., Shaw, J. E., Zimmet, P. Z., & Caterson, I.
D. (2010). The cost of overweight and obesity in Australia. Medical Journal of
Australia, 192(5), 260-264.
Cuschieri, S., & Mamo, J. (2016). Getting to grips with the obesity epidemic in Europe. SAGE
Open Medicine, 4, 2050312116670406.
De Oliveira, M. L., Santos, L. M. P., & da Silva, E. N. (2015). The direct healthcare cost of
obesity in Brazil: an application of the cost-of-illness method from the perspective of the
public health system in 2011. PloS One, 10(4), e0121160.
Finkelstein, E. A., & Strombotne, K. L. (2010). The economics of obesity. The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91(5), 1520S-1524S.
Goettler, A., Grosse, A., & Sonntag, D. (2017). Productivity loss due to overweight and obesity:
a systematic review of indirect costs. BMJ Open, 7(10), e014632.
OBESITY 10
James, W. P. T., & McPherson, K. (2017). The costs of overweight. The Lancet Public
Health, 2(5), e203-e204.
Kim, D. D., & Basu, A. (2016). Estimating the medical care costs of obesity in the United States:
a systematic review, meta-analysis, and empirical analysis. Value in Health, 19(5), 602-
613.
Kjellberg, J., Larsen, A. T., Ibsen, R., & Højgaard, B. (2017). The socioeconomic burden of
obesity. Obesity Facts, 10(5), 493-502.
Kudel, I., Huang, J. C., & Ganguly, R. (2018). Impact of obesity on work productivity in
different US occupations: analysis of the national health and wellness survey 2014 to
2015. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60(1), 6.
Levitt, D. E., Jackson, A. W., & MORROW, J. R. (2016). An analysis of the medical costs of
obesity for fifth graders in California and Texas. International Journal of Exercise
Science, 9(1), 26.
Scarborough, P., Bhatnagar, P., Wickramasinghe, K. K., Allender, S., Foster, C., & Rayner, M.
(2011). The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking,
alcohol, and obesity in the UK: an update to 2006–07 NHS costs. Journal of Public
Health, 33(4), 527-535.
Seidell, J. C., & Halberstadt, J. (2015). The global burden of obesity and the challenges of
prevention. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 66(Suppl. 2), 7-12.
Song, H. J., Hwang, J., Pi, S., Ahn, S., Heo, Y., Park, S., & Kwon, J. W. (2018). The impact of
obesity and overweight on medical expenditures and disease incidence in Korea from
2002 to 2013. PloS One, 13(5), e0197057.
OBESITY 11
Specchia, M. L., Veneziano, M. A., Cadeddu, C., Ferriero, A. M., Mancuso, A., Ianuale, C., ... &
Ricciardi, W. (2014). The economic impact of adult obesity on health systems: a
systematic review. The European Journal of Public Health, 25(2), 255-262.
Sturm, R., & An, R. (2014). Obesity and economic environments. CA: A Cancer Journal for
Clinicians, 64(5), 337-350.
Tremmel, M., Gerdtham, U. G., Nilsson, P., & Saha, S. (2017). Economic burden of obesity: a
systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public
Health, 14(4), 435.
Tsai, A. G., Williamson, D. F., & Glick, H. A. (2011). The direct medical cost of overweight and
obesity in the USA: a quantitative systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 12(1), 50-61.
Running head: THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 1
The Economic Challenges of Obesity: Outline
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 2
The Economic Challenges of Obesity: Outline
I. Introduction (Estimated length: 1 page)
a. Thesis statement: There is no doubt that obesity is increasingly becoming a
menace as far as the economic burden is concerned, particularly considering that
it comes along with a broad range of cost implications, including medical care
costs, non-medical care costs, lost productivity, and increased mortality.
b. Questions Being Addressed: The paper will explore the various economic
implications of obesity and seek to determine how each of these challenges affects
different stakeholders in society.
II. Background and Context of the Obesity Problem (Estimated length: 2 pages)
a. Obesity has been increasingly becoming a huge burden to society in far-reaching
ways:
i. “People who are overweight or have obesity are estimated to comprise
30% of the global population” (Bomberg et al., 2017).
b. The foundations of increased obesity are mainly lifestyle-related (Scarborough,
2011; Seidell & Halberstadt, 2015).
III. The Economic Challenges of Obesity (Estimated length: 20 pages)
a. Direct Economic Costs of Obesity
i. Medical care costs
1. Medical care costs are the primary direct economic challenges of
obesity:
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 3
a. “In the United States, obesity has been estimated to cost as
much as $147 billion per year” (Finkelstein & Strombotne,
2010).
2. Medical care costs financially affect different stakeholders in far-
reaching ways (Levitt, Jackson, & MORROW, 2016; Tsai,
Williamson, & Glick, 2011). They affect the obese individuals,
their friends and families, healthcare organizations, insurance
firms, government, and society:
a. “between 2005 and 2010, the amount by which obesity
raised medical costs per obese adult rose from $3070 to
$3508” (Biener, Cawley, & Meyerhoefer, 2017).
b. “The total annual direct cost of overweight and obesity in
Australia in 2005 was $21 billion” (Colagiuri, 2010).
c. “The whole of Europe spends between 1.9% and 4.7% of
the total annual health care costs and 2.8% of the annual
hospital costs in dealing with overweight or obese patients”
(Cuschieri, & Mamo, 2016).
ii. Some of the medical care costs of obesity include:
1. Hospital inpatient and outpatient visits of obese individuals.
a. “The estimated annual cost of treating obesity-related
illness in adults is $147 billion” (Cawley, 2010, p. 366).
2. Costs of drugs prescribed to them by the physicians, as well as the
costs of any clinical operations that may have been recommended
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 4
to them when their condition is assessed to be quite complicated
for essential drugs (Kim & Basu, 2016).
3. Physician services/ General practitioner visits.
a. Bariatric physicians, nurses, and all other healthcare
professionals who handle weight-related illnesses are paid,
and this means that the problem accounts for a considerable
amount of the salaries paid to these people.
i. “Bariatric surgery costs in Brazil totaled US$ 17.4
million in 2011” (De Oliveira, Santos, & da Silva,
2015).
4. Healthcare costs of comorbidities.
a. Obesity comes along with many comorbidities, including
osteoarthritis insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
mellitus, dyslipidemia, sleep apnea, hyperuricemia and
gout, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and
gallbladder disease.
i. “Being overweight in young adulthood is a
predictor of later-life obesity and chronic conditions
such as diabetes and heart disease” (Akee,
Simeonova, Copeland, Angold, & Costello, 2013, p.
2).
iii. Non-medical care costs
1. Health research.
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 5
a. Healthcare organizations, research institutions,
governments, learning institutions, and non-governmental
organizations spend millions of dollars on research on
obesity.
b. This research may have many beneficial outcomes for the
patients, but many stakeholders, including taxpayers, bear
the costs.
2. Rehabilitation and administration costs.
a. Obesity rehabilitation has many cost implications, both for
the patient, their employers, and family. Administration of
such programs is also an expensive endeavor.
b. Behavioral therapy, exercise, and other related activities are
also expensive and require a lot of dedication from all
parties involved (Song, 2018; Specchia, 2014; Sturm & An,
2014).
b. Indirect Economic Costs of Obesity. These are mainly the cost implications that
stem from the productivity that is lost as a result of obesity being quite a
challenge to the individuals facing this condition. Some of the indirect costs of
obesity include:
i. Presenteeism. This arises when there are obese workers who are presently
at the workplace but cannot perform their duties to full capability because
their weight or sickness cannot allow them to do so:
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 6
1. “While costs due to presenteeism among individuals with
overweight ranged between −$61131 and $1669,33 costs among
individuals with obesity were between $1146 and $4175.3”
(Goettler, Grosse, & Sonntag, 2017).
ii. Premature mortality
1. Due to the health complications that are associated with obesity,
the condition leads to many premature deaths, and the economic
implication of this is that society loses many productive
individuals to this scourge (Tremmel, Gerdtham, Nilsson, & Saha,
2017).
iii. Work absenteeism
1. Obese individuals are highly likely to be absent in work than their
healthier counterparts, and this means that organizations that have
employees who are dealing with obesity-related health issues are
likely to lose a lot of productive hours when such people are
unable to come to work.
iv. Sick leave
1. In some instances, obesity becomes so much of a health issue that
the affected individuals are forced to take sick leaves. Sick leave is
detrimental to an organization's productivity because of the work
hours lost.
v. Unemployment compensation and welfare
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 7
1. In many jurisdictions, unemployed individuals are eligible for
unemployment compensation and welfare.
2. Since obesity makes it impossible for some individuals to secure
jobs, it leads to the increase of the unemployed populations, and
thus, in turn, leads to the rise in the number of people who are
eligible for these programs.
3. This is a cost that is directly catered for by the taxpayers.
vi. Lost productivity during hospitalization
1. During hospitalization, especially in-patient hospitalization, many
people cannot work, and this means that their organizations lose a
lot in terms of productivity, which, in turn, is a loss for the
economy (Kudel, Huang, & Ganguly, 2018).
vii. Early retirement pensions
1. Early retirement pensions to people who retire early due to obesity-
related complications have substantial financial implications to the
respective organizations and governments (James & McPherson,
2017).
viii. Short- and long-term disability
1. In some cases, obesity causes short and long-term disabilities, and
this means that such individuals become a burden to those around
them, especially their families and close friends (Kjellberg, Larsen,
Ibsen, & Højgaard, 2017).
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 8
2. Those taking care of disabled individuals who are battling obesity
are highly likely to lose a lot of their productivity since the care
consumes a lot of their productive time.
ix. Nursing fees for employees who have been enrolled in weight and obesity
programs.
x. Training and recruitment costs as a result of the early retirement of obese
and overweight individuals.
IV. Discussion and Future Implications (Estimated length: 1 page)
V. Conclusion (Estimated length: 1 page)
THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OBESITY 9
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