Joseph Carrello, Thomas Lung, Louise A Baur, Alison Hayes
{"title":"Economic benefits of reducing childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity in Australia.","authors":"Joseph Carrello, Thomas Lung, Louise A Baur, Alison Hayes","doi":"10.17061/phrp3432421","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The Australian Government, through the National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032, has set an aspirational goal of reducing the prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity by 5% by 2030 (from 25% to 20%). Our objective was to quantify the long-term economic benefits of achieving this goal.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a microsimulation model and a synthetic cohort of Australian children and adolescents aged 4-17 years, we estimated the excess per capita lifetime costs of overweight and obesity. Using these results and population projections for 2030, we estimated the potential lifetime cost savings that could be achieved through attaining the National Obesity Strategy goal.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with their peers of a healthy weight, children and adolescents with overweight and obesity were estimated to incur, per capita, excess lifetime costs (discounted) of approximately $19 700 and $46 700, respectively (in 2030 Australian dollars). Achieving the National Obesity Strategy's goal was estimated to save approximately $7.44 billion, predominantly through reductions in lifetime obesity-related healthcare costs and premature mortality.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results demonstrate the considerable economic benefits that could be achieved by reducing the current prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity in Australia; they provide justification for investment in prevention and treatment for this demographic.</p>","PeriodicalId":45898,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Research & Practice","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Public Health Research & Practice","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.17061/phrp3432421","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: The Australian Government, through the National Obesity Strategy 2022-2032, has set an aspirational goal of reducing the prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity by 5% by 2030 (from 25% to 20%). Our objective was to quantify the long-term economic benefits of achieving this goal.
Methods: Using a microsimulation model and a synthetic cohort of Australian children and adolescents aged 4-17 years, we estimated the excess per capita lifetime costs of overweight and obesity. Using these results and population projections for 2030, we estimated the potential lifetime cost savings that could be achieved through attaining the National Obesity Strategy goal.
Results: Compared with their peers of a healthy weight, children and adolescents with overweight and obesity were estimated to incur, per capita, excess lifetime costs (discounted) of approximately $19 700 and $46 700, respectively (in 2030 Australian dollars). Achieving the National Obesity Strategy's goal was estimated to save approximately $7.44 billion, predominantly through reductions in lifetime obesity-related healthcare costs and premature mortality.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the considerable economic benefits that could be achieved by reducing the current prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity in Australia; they provide justification for investment in prevention and treatment for this demographic.
期刊介绍:
Public Health Research & Practice is an open-access, quarterly, online journal with a strong focus on the connection between research, policy and practice. It publishes innovative, high-quality papers that inform public health policy and practice, paying particular attention to innovations, data and perspectives from policy and practice. The journal is published by the Sax Institute, a national leader in promoting the use of research evidence in health policy. Formerly known as The NSW Public Health Bulletin, the journal has a long history. It was published by the NSW Ministry of Health for nearly a quarter of a century. Responsibility for its publication transferred to the Sax Institute in 2014, and the journal receives guidance from an expert editorial board.