Obese patients cost NHS double the amount of healthy people
Obese patients cost the NHS double the amount that people who are a healthy weight do, a landmark new study has revealed.
One million patients who were a healthy weight cost the NHS £638 on average in 2019, the research found. Meanwhile, £1,375 was spent per year on morbidly obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 40.
Experts warned the future viability of the NHS relies on combatting increasing obesity as it was leading to record levels of long-term sickness.
The research, presented at the European Congress of Obesity in Dublin, is the first to show how NHS spending varies depending on a patient’s weight.
The findings showed a staggering rise in spending on heavier patients because they develop obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Source: The Independent, 18 May 2023