title: The economic and psychosocial consequences of obesity.
abstract: Obesity is a multifaceted problem with wide-reaching medical, social and economic consequences. These are partly determined by the wealth and disease pattern of the population. In less-developed societies overweight may be advantageous and socially acceptable. In affluent societies obesity is a well-recognized health hazard and a socially stigmatized condition. For the obese person, excess weight denotes an increased risk of disabling chronic diseases, lowered quality of life and loss of earnings. For the society, obesity is a major economic burden. Treatment costs of diseases directly attributable to obesity are estimated to correspond to about 4-5% of the total health care expenditure. The indirect costs arising from loss of productivity due to obesity may be even higher.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rissanen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice; D011788:Quality of Life