Obesity and smoking are both associated with higher costs for health care. But obesity costs more than smoking, according to a new study in the March Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
In analyzing the additional costs of smoking and obesity in more than 30,000 Mayo Clinic employees and retirees who had health coverage between 2001 and 2007, researchers found that compared to nonsmokers, smokers had $1,275 more in average health care costs per year.
Costs associated with obesity were $1,850 more than normal-weight people. Those with morbid obesity saw annual costs of $5,500 more than normal-weight people.
— Anne Aurand, The Bulletin
Source: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
