FED: Obesity bill drastically underestimated: Report

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2008
FED: Obesity bill drastically underestimated: Report

Eds: Embargoed until 0001 AEST Friday, August 22



By Tamara McLean, Medical Writer

SYDNEY, Aug 22 AAP - The fat epidemic is costing Australia $58 billion a year - almost
three times more than previously estimated, a new report says.

Access Economics has recalculated the burden of obesity on the nation based on shocking
new statistics showing one in four adults is obese.

The new report, released at a government forum in Tasmania today, shows the full cost
to be $58 billion, far exceeding the $21 billion bill estimated in 2006.

The economic consultancy explained the discrepancy by saying the old report was "quite
conservative in its projections of obesity prevalence and estimates of attributable fractions
for conditions associated with obesity diabetes, cardiovascular disease, various types
of cancer, and osteoarthritis".

Two major studies have also since confirmed obesity rates were considerably higher
than previously thought, the report states.

"These new figures are tragic and frightening and represent a wake-up call for the
nation," Dr Gary Deed, national president of Diabetes Australia, which commissioned the
report.

"They show that previous estimates of the epidemic's size and cost were very much understated."

He said the obesity epidemic was having a "direct and catastrophic" influence on increasing
the incidence of type two diabetes.

"We know that obesity and type two diabetes can be prevented and we need to make fundamental
changes in the way we live to arrest the escalating crisis," Dr Deed said.

The report puts the direct costs at $8.3 billion, and a further $49.9 billion in the
value of lost wellbeing and premature death.

Economic costs of obesity were largest in NSW, at $19 billion, followed by Victoria
at $14.4 billion and Queensland at $11.6 billion.

It estimates that 3.71 million Australians are obese, including 242,000 Australians
who have type two diabetes as a direct result of their obesity.

Almost 650,000 Australians can blame their cardiovascular disease on their weight,
and more than 30,000 have colorectal, breast, uterine or kidney cancer as a result of
their stature.

AAP tam/jpm/it/de

KEYWORD: OBESITY (EMBARGOED) (WITH FACTBOX)

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