The obesity rate in America is skyrocketing, and according to new statistics from the Campaign to End Obesity, along with increased health risks and health care costs for those struggling to control their weight comes a huge economic toll on the U.S. With hospitals widening bathroom stalls for severely overweight patients, and the Federal Transit Administration testing new steering and breaks on mass transit systems because of an increase in the number of heavyset riders, the estimated national cost of accommodating obese citizens is approaching $190 billion a year. Here's a look at some unexpected financial costs of obesity, by the numbers:
$190 billion
Estimated economic cost of obesity in America, or twice the amount previously estimated, taking into account everything from "wider stadiums seats to sturdier, floor-mounted toilets," says CBS News. The calculations were published in the Journal of Health Economics.
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400
The new minimum seat threshold, in pounds, for commuter subway trains in New York
1 to 2
Additional inches added to seats installed at venues like Yankee Stadium
35.7
Percentage of U.S. adults considered obese
17
Percentage of U.S. children aged 2 to 19 considered obese
3
Factor by which the number of obese Americans has increased in the past 50 years
5.9
Extra sick days obese men take every year compared to their coworkers
9.4
Extra sick days obese women take every year compared to their coworkers
$3,792
Annual cost to workplaces due to lost productivity for every obese male worker
$3,037
Annual cost to workplaces due to lost productivity for every obese female worker
$1,152
Extra medical expenditures every year for an obese male
$3,613
Extra medical expenditures every year for an obese female
20
Percentage of extra medical costs, roughly, that obesity adds to the U.S. total each year
938 million
Extra gallons of gasoline required to transport overweight passengers in the U.S. "Some costs of obesity reflect basic physics," says Reuters. "It requires twice as much energy to move 250 pounds than 125 pounds. As a result, a vehicle burns more gasoline."
$4 billion
Extra cost of gasoline required to drive overweight passengers on the road every year
$5 billion
Extra cost of gasoline required to fly overweight passengers on airplanes every year
Sources: BlissTree, CBS News, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fox News, Reuters
