Obesity Fact Sheets
Safety
Absence
Management
Risk Management
Overview
Health Care
Costs
Risk. Reinsurance. Human Resources.
Productivity
Health
Safety
Overview
Absence
Management
Risk
Management
Overview
Productivity
Summary
Obesity has become an epidemic in the workplace. Research has
now found that obesity impacts not only population health, but also
health care cost, productivity, absence management, safety and risk
management. With obesity reaching epidemic proportions, there is a
strong need to review the impacts of obesity in the workplace.
Health Care
Costs
Health
Key Findings

More than 2.1 billion people—nearly 30 percent of the global
population—are overweight or obese.2

Obesity is responsible for around 5 percent of all global deaths.2

In America alone, obesity rates have doubled among adults over the
last 20 years, resulting in more than 35% of adults living with obesity
and an additional 33% being overweight.2
More than

The global economic impact from obesity is roughly $2.0 trillion, or 2.8
percent of global GDP.5
2.1B

In 2011 there was estimated cost of more than $153 billion lost in
productivity annually. 6
people – nearly

Obese employees are 80% more likely to have absences and were
absent 3.7 more days (7.7 vs. 4.0 days) per year compared to
employees with normal body weights. 7

Obesity is linked to a 25% higher rate of work-related injury.2
More Information
For more information on obesity’s impact on health, health care cost,
productivity, absence, safety and risk, please visit the following:
Healthy Americans Report: F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s
Future 2012 http://healthyamericans.org/report/100/
Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index Jan. 2 to Oct. 2 Survey, 2011.
McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014.
"Obesity among American Workers Costs the Nations Billions in Lost
Productivity.“ http://news.yale.edu/2014/11/14/obesity-among-americanworkers-costs-nations-billions-lost-productivity
Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) website.
https://www.osha.gov
"Unhealthy U.S. Workers' Absenteeism Costs $153 Billion.“
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150026/unhealthy-workers-absenteeism-costs153-billion.aspx
30%
of the global
population are
overweight or
obese
Obesity is
responsible for
around
5%
of all global
deaths.
Safety
Health
Absence
Management
Risk
Management
Overview
Productivity
Summary
Numerous research studies document the harmful health effects of excess
body weight. Due to it’s contribution to co-morbid risk for diabetes, heart
failure, multiple cancers, and other serious chronic conditions, obesity
currently accounts for one out of every eight deaths in America. Without
interventions for the current workforce and for youth, it is estimated that half
of the adult population will be obese by 2040.
Health Care
Costs
Health
Key Findings

Without effective interventions in place, it is estimated that 50% of the
adult population will be obese by 2040.2

The workforce’s health is directly impacted by obesity, as it accounts
for one out of every eight deaths in America, which makes millions of
Americans at risk from a preventable disease.2

It is estimated that nearly 86% of full-time workers are above normal
weight or have at least one chronic health condition.3

The harmful effects are magnified dramatically taking into account that
approximately 17% (or 12.7 million) of the youth poised to enter the US
workforce have obesity.4
More Information
For more information on obesity and the diagnosis, symptoms, treatment,
prevention, screening and research, visit the National Institutes of Health’s
obesity website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/obesity.html
For more on how to assess your weight and health risk, visit the National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Aim for a Healthy Weight site:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/risk.htm
Strategies to combat obesity can be found on the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention’s website:
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/index.html
It is estimated
that nearly
86%
of full-time
workers are
above normal
weight or have at
least one chronic
health condition.
By 2040, it is
estimated that
50%
of the adult
population will be
obese in America
Safety
Health Care Costs
Absence
Management
Risk
Management
Overview
Productivity
Summary
Due to the burden of associated health risks, ever-increasing costs
and pervasiveness, obesity has become a major global health
challenge. More so, obesity is increasing at an unprecedented pace
world-wide, with no truly successful or sustainable interventions
implemented in more than three decades.
Health Care
Costs
Health
Key Findings

Obesity accounts for 21% of total U.S. national health care
spending, equating to $210 billion annually and the indirect costs
are far higher.1

When also accounting for the U.S. nonmedical costs of obesity,
the overall annual cost is estimated to be $450 billion.2

Recent data indicates that increased health and work-related
expenses associated with obesity cost an excess of $4,879 for
women and $2,646 for men annually.3

The global economic impact from obesity is roughly $2.0 trillion, or
2.8 percent of global GDP.5

Globally, 2 to 7 percent of all health-care spending relates to
measures to prevent and treat this condition, with up to 20 percent
of all health-care spending attributable to obesity, through related
diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.5

In 2012, obesity had the second highest social and economic
impact in the United States with $663 billion a year, or 4.1 percent
of GDP.5
More Information
For more information on the economic costs of obesity, please visit
these obesity resource sites for more information:
Obesity
accounts for
21%
of total
national health
care spending,
equating to
$210B
annually
and indirect costs
are estimated at
Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Obesity Data
$450B
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
annually
Healthy Americans Report: F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens
America’s Future 2012
http://healthyamericans.org/report/100/
Harvard Obesity Prevention Source: Economic Costs
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesityconsequences/economic/
Safety
Productivity
Absence
Management
Risk
Management
Overview
Productivity
Summary
A recent study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental
Hygiene found that workers with a high body mass index (BMI) had
significantly lower endurance than workers of normal body weight.
Individuals who are overweight or obese tend to take more sick days than
their normal-weight counterparts, decreasing their overall productivity.
Furthermore, the continuing stigma against obesity may interfere with the
ability to get a new job, negotiate a raise, or obtain a promotion.
Health Care
Costs
Health
Key Findings

Productivity losses related to personal and family health problems cost
U.S. employers $1,685 per employee per year, or $225.8 billion
annually. 7

Moderately or extremely obese workers (BMI ≥35) experienced a 4.2%
health-related loss in productivity (1.18% more than all other
employees), which equates to an additional $506 annually in lost
productivity per worker. 4

In 2011 there was estimated cost of more than $153 billion lost in
productivity annually. 6

Using DALYS (disability-adjusted life years), The McKinsey Global
Institute found that of the DALYs lost to obesity across the world 71%
are due to premature mortality. 3

In the United Kingdom, the impact of obesity on employers is a total of
$7 billion. Of this, $5 billion, or more than two-thirds, came from
decreased productivity in the workplace. 3

Job performance is 11% higher among those workers who were not
obese. 5

Obesity is associated with significant increases in absenteeism among
American workers and costs the nation over $8 billion per year in lost
productivity. 5
More Information
For more information on the economic costs of productivity lost due to
obesity please visit these obesity resource sites for more information:
McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014
"Obesity among American Workers Costs the Nations Billions in Lost
Productivity."
http://news.yale.edu/2014/11/14/obesity-among-american-workers-costsnations-billions-lost-productivity
"Worker Productivity." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/businesscase/reasons/produ
ctivity.html
4.2%
Health-related
loss in
productivity with
workers who had
a BMI ≥35
This equates to
an additional
$506
per worker
Productivity
losses related to
family health
problems cost
$225.8B
annually
Safety
Absence Management
Absence
Management
Risk
Management
Overview
Productivity
Summary
Overall, the national loss in productivity due to obesity-related absenteeism
is estimated at $8.65 billion per year, which is 9.3% of all absenteeism
costs. Along with absenteeism, employees with disabilities are also at risk
for becoming obese. There are some contributing factors that can lead
disable employees to becoming obese. For example, physical limitations
that prevent them from getting the required amount of physical activity.
Health Care
Costs
Health
Key Findings

The cost of obesity, including medical expenditures and absenteeism,
for a company with 1,000 employees is estimated to be $277,000 per
year. 2

Absenteeism costs associated with obesity total $4.3 billion annually in
the United States. 5

Annual health care costs of obesity that are related to disability are
estimated at approximately $44 billion. 5

Nearly 20% of US citizens are disabled. Studies showed that people
with physical disabilities have a 1.2- to 3.9-fold increase in obesity
prevalence. 3

Obese employees are 80% more likely to have absences and were
absent 3.7 more days (7.7 vs. 4.0 days) per year compared to
employees with normal body weights. 3
more likely to
have absences
and were absent

With no additional risk factors, overweight employees lost 4.2 vs. 2.6
days per year, and obese employees 7.2 vs. 2.6 days compared with
their normal-weight colleagues. 2
3.7

Full-time workers in the U.S. who are overweight or obese and have
other chronic health conditions miss an estimated 450 million additional
days of work each year compared with healthy workers. 5
More Information
For more information on the economic cost of disability, absence and
workers compensation due to obesity, please visit these sites for more
information:
http://www.statelocalgov.net/50states-workers-compensation.cfm
McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014
"Unhealthy U.S. Workers' Absenteeism Costs $153 Billion.“
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150026/unhealthy-workers-absenteeism-costs153-billion.aspx
Physical Disability and Obesity
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753887.2005.tb00110.x/abstract
Obese
employee are
80%
more days per
year compared to
employees with
normal BMIs
Absenteeism
costs associated
with obesity total
$4.3B
annually
Safety
Safety and Risk Management
Absence
Management
Risk
Management
Overview
Productivity
Summary
Obesity impacts safety at home, work, in the health care setting, and even
on the road. Employers should keep in mind that there are safety
considerations for obese employees in both sedentary and non-sedentary
job functions. Due to the high risk of obesity-related medical complications
post-injury, employers should work with their medical providers to ensure
that high quality doctors and hospitals with lower levels of errors are
included in their networks.
Health Care
Costs
Health
Key Findings

Work and workplace exposure can lead to obesity while obesity can
modify occupational morbidity, mortality and injury risk. Obesity is
linked to a 25% higher rate of work-related injury.2

Obese individuals have a 1.34x greater risk of work-related injury than
their healthy weight counterparts. 5

In 2011, 28% of injured workers reported being obese, but less than
1% of their job injury claims included obesity as a comorbidity.

On average, obese workers filed twice as many workers compensation
claims, and claims cost seven times more than those from their nonobese counterparts. Also, the injuries were more severe, and they had
longer absence.4

The American Medical Association’s (AMA) reclassification of obesity
as a disease state may impact workers comp medical bills. The Indiana
Workers Compensation Board decided that an injured worker was
entitled to bariatric surgery through their workers comp claim.2

Current workplace safety standards may be inadequate to address
worker obesity. Obesity may limit the availability or effectiveness of the
currently available personal protective equipment in reducing
exposures to occupational hazards. This applies across all types of
work including sedentary job functions.2,3
More Information
For more information on obesity and safety in the workforce, visit the
following:
Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) website.
https://www.osha.gov
For more information on ergonomic strategies addressing obesity in the
workforce, visit Aon Risk Solutions website.
http://www.aon.com/risk-services/ergonomics.jsp#
The safety impacts of
obesity affect all types
of jobs from sedentary
to active. Obesity
related workplace
injuries have
increased significantly
in recent years.
 Obesity is linked to a
25%
 higher rate of workrelated injury
 Workplace safety
standards and
equipment should be
modified to address
obesity
 Changes to the
workplace should
impact sedentary
and non-sedentary
jobs
Sources
Overview
1. Healthy Americans Report: F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens
America’s Future 2012 http://healthyamericans.org/report/100/
2. Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index Jan. 2 to Oct. 2 Survey, 2011.
3. McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014.
4. "Obesity among American Workers Costs the Nations Billions in Lost
Productivity.“ http://news.yale.edu/2014/11/14/obesity-among-americanworkers-costs-nations-billions-lost-productivity
5. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) website.
https://www.osha.gov
6. "Unhealthy U.S. Workers' Absenteeism Costs $153 Billion.“
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150026/unhealthy-workersabsenteeism-costs-153-billion.aspx
Health
1. McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014.
2. The Obesity Crisis in America. 2003.
www.surgeongeneral.gov/news/testimony/obesity07162003.htm
3. McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014.
4. CDC Healthy Living Topics, 2014, The Call to Control: At A Glance.
Health Care Costs
1. Finkelstein et al. “Annual Medical Spending Attributable to Obesity:
Payer- and Service-Specific Estimates.” Health Affairs, 28, no. 5 (2009).
27 July. http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/28/5/w822.full.pdf+html
2. Hoffman, B. (2012, August 16). What The Obesity Epidemic Costs Us
[Infographic]. Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2012/08/16/what-the-obesityepidemic-costs-us-infographic/
3. Dor et al. A Heavy Burden: The Individual Costs of Being Overweight and
Obese in the United States. The George Washington University, School
of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Health Policy. 21
November 2010.
4. Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index Jan. 2 to Oct. 2 Survey, 2011.
5. McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014.
Sources
Productivity
1. Brehm, Bonnie J. et al. Obesity and Presenteeism: The Impact of Body
Mass Index on Workplace Productivity. Journal of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine, Jan. 2008.
http://journals.lww.com/joem/toc/2008/01000
2. JOEH: Obesity Linked to Low Endurance, Increased Fatigue in the
Workplace." AHA Protecting Worker Health. American Industrial Hygiene
Association, 23 July 2014.
3. McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014
4. Orciari, Megan. "Obesity among American Workers Costs the Nations
Billions in Lost Productivity." YaleNews. Megan Orciari, 14 Nov. 2014.
5. "Study of 20,000 Workers Shows Different Factors Drive Abesenteeism
and Job Performance." Healthways - News Release. Journal of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 7 Jan. 2013.
6. Unhealthy U.S. Workers’ Absenteeism Costs Costs $153 Billion. Gallup,
27 Oct. 2011 http://www.gallup.com/poll/150026/unhealthy-workersabsenteeism-costs-153-billion.aspx
7. "Worker Productivity." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Oct.
2013.http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/businesscase/reason
s/productivity.html
>
Sources
Absence Management
1. McKinsey MGI Obesity Report, 2014.
2. Occupation-specific Absenteeism Costs Associated with Obesity and
Morbid Obesity.National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S.
National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2007.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18231079
3. “Physical Disability and Obesity.” Wiley Online Library. Wiley Online
Library, 28 June 2008. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.17534887.2005.tb00110.x/abstract
4. National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of
Medicine, 18 Jan. 2008. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17890102
5. Unhealthy U.S. Workers’ Absenteeism Costs Costs $153 Billion. Gallup,
27 Oct. 2011 http://www.gallup.com/poll/150026/unhealthy-workersabsenteeism-costs-153-billion.aspx
6. “Worker Productivity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Oct. 2013.
http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/businesscase/reasons/pro
ductivity.html
.
Safety and Risk Management
1. Wearing, S.C., et al. . “Musculoskeletal Disorders Associated with
Obesity: A Biomechanical Perspective.” Obesity Reviews. 17, July, 2006.
(http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467789X.2006.00251.x/abstract;jsessionid=09C828FC492E3012C3AD76153
FA1B46A.f01t02?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticat
ed=fals)
2. Glennon, Kevin. . “Obesity’s Impact on Workers Compensation.” Risk
Management. 1 November, 2014
3. Schulte, P.A., et al. “A Framework for the Concurrent Consideration of
Occupational Hazards and Obesity.” Annals of Occupational Hygiene. 8
July, 2008.
4. Ostbye, Truls, et al. “Obesity and Workers’ Compensation”. Archives of
Internal Medicine. 23 April, 2007
5. “From Research to Reality. Obesity in the Workplace. Weighing the
Associated Risks”. Volume 16. Number 1. Liberty Mutual Research
Institute for Safety. Summer 2013
6. Price, Misty, et al. “Weighing The Obesity Exposure”. November 1, 2013.
http://www.riskandinsurance.com/weighing-the-obesity-exposure/