title: Financial impact of obesity and bariatric surgery.
abstract: Obesity constitutes a major health problem with serious social and economic consequences worldwide. In North America, nearly one third of the population is obese, and this figure includes children and adolescents who are likely to become obese adults. Obesity carries a great financial impact on society; consequently, treating morbidly obese patients with surgery may offer substantial economic savings. This article summarizes the financial burdens of obesity and the economics of treating obesity in North America. It addresses the medical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery and the new regulations and accreditations for bariatric surgery programs.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Kinga A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Rehrig
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000191:economics* / Q000193:education; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D018570:Risk Assessment