title: Regional variations in the economic burden attributable to excess weight, physical inactivity and tobacco smoking across British Columbia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevalence rates of excess weight, tobacco smoking and physical inactivity vary substantially by geographical region within British Columbia (B.C.). The purpose of this study is to determine the potential reduction in economic burden in B.C. if all regions in the province achieved prevalence rates of these three risk factors equivalent to those of the region with the lowest rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a previously developed approach based on population-attributable fractions to estimate the economic burden associated with the various risk factors. Sex-specific relative risk and age/sex-specific prevalence data was used in the modelling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual economic burden attributable to the three risk factors in B.C. was about $5.6 billion in 2013, with a higher proportion of this total attributable to excess weight ($2.6 billion) than to tobacco smoking ($2.0 billion). While B.C. has lower prevalence rates of the risk factors than any other Canadian province, there is significant variation within the province. If each region in the province were to achieve the best prevalence rates for the three risk factors, then $1.4 billion (24% of the $5.6 billion) in economic burden could be avoided annually.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are notable disparities in the prevalence of each risk factor across health regions within B.C., which were mirrored in each region's attributable economic burden. A variety of social, environmental and economic factors likely drive some of this geographical variation and these underlying factors should be considered when developing prevention programs.
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|H. Krueger & Associates Inc., Delta, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.affiliation: H. Krueger & Associates Inc., Delta, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Koot
authors.affiliation: Population and Public Health, British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Rasali
authors.affiliation: Population and Public Health, British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gustin
authors.affiliation: Population Health Surveillance and Public Health Planning, British Columbia Ministry of Health, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pennock
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001835:Body Weight; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention
keywords: body weight; economic burden of disease; physical activity; populations at risk; risk factors; tobacco smoking