The cost of diet related diseases
in Scotland?
Professor Annie S. Anderson
Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research
Centre for Research into Cancer Prevention and Screening
Ninewells Medical School,
University of Dundee
email: a.s.anderson@dundee.ac.uk
Who knows?..........
Reflections and thoughts……..
The healthy/unhealthy landscape influenced
by diet and ways of life……………….
Medical Complications of Obesity
Pulmonary disease
abnormal function
obstructive sleep apnea
hypoventilation syndrome
Stroke
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Cataracts
Coronary heart disease
Pancreatitis
Nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease
steatosis
steatohepatitis
cirrhosis
Gall bladder disease
Cancer
breast, uterus, ovary, kidney
colon, oesophagus, pancreas, gall bladder
Skin
Gout
Diabetes
Dyslipidemia
Hypertension
Gynecologic abnormalities
abnormal menses/ infertility
polycystic ovarian syndrome
Numerous pregnancy comps.
Osteoarthritis
Phlebitis
venous stasis
Most people with any long term condition have multiple
(diet related) conditions in Scotland
People living in more deprived areas in Scotland
develop multimorbidity 10 years before those living in
the most affluent areas
Scottish Women aged 50 to 74
70% are overweight or obese
76% do not eat 5 a day
58% do not meet physical activity
guidelines
35% regularly drink over 14 units per week
Scottish Health Survey, 2013
The cost of obesity to Scottish
society
We estimate that the
total cost to Scottish
society of obesity in
2007/8 was in
excess of £457
million and it is likely
that this is an
underestimate.
Much of this cost is
avoidable...
(Published 2010)
The cost of obesity
to the NHS (2007/2008)
> £175 million (direct costs)
Includes
• £ 4.5 m associated with drug cost
• £48 m obesity related diabetes
• £38 m hypertension
Add the costs of being overweight… may be half
again ADD £137 m
TOTAL NHS COSTS for OW and obesity £312m
NHS Costs
Accounts for around 2% of total
healthcare costs
Obese individuals had medical costs 30%
higher than those with normal wt
Around 23% of spending on all drugs is
attributable to overweight and obesity.
The cost of obesity
to Society(2007/2008)
Impact on employment
• obesity 25% less likely to be in employment
• overall attainment less for women
Production levels
Incapacity benefits est £195 m
Premature death est £87 m
Infra- structure planning
• Hospital costs
TOTAL society COSTS for obesity £282m
RCP (2013) Action on Obesity
What are the total costs?
? £457 m (estimates of direct and indirect)
£0.6b to £1.4b
Future estimates (Scotland)
10-15 years behind US (2003 S = 1991 US), 41%
predicted to be obese by 2030
Estimated UK costs of
£1.9 to 2 billion /year by 2030