Obesity Costs PA In Excess of $4 Billion Annually

by Michele Barrett

 

In a period of time when health care is so heatedly debated, I can’t help but wonder what first steps we can take towards solving the crisis ourselves. What might be the least costly, most effective means to reduce the cost of health care? Can it really be as simple as taking a 30 minute walk every day?

http://www.healthnotcosmetics.org/Website%20Files/ObesityExpenditure.pdf

“For the United States as a whole, obesity-attributable medical expenditures are estimated at $75 billion, with $17 billion financed by Medicare and $21 billion financed by Medicaid. State-level estimates range from $87 million (Wyoming) to $7.7 billion (California).” [Pennsylvania holds second place for the highest obesity-attributable medical expenditures — $4.138 Billion annually.]