Relationship of Body Mass Index and Physical Activity to Health Care Costs Among Employees

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between physical activity and health care costs by different weight groups. The study sample consisted of 23,490 active employees grouped into normal weight, overweight, and obese categories. After adjustment for covariates, physically moderately active (1 to 2 times/week) and very active (3 + times/week) employees had approximately $250 less paid health care costs annually than sedentary employees (0 time/week) across all weight categories. The difference was approximately $450 in the obese subpopulation. The maximum possible savings was estimated to be 1.5% of the total health care costs if all obese sedentary employees would adapt a physically active lifestyle. As a strategy to control escalating health care costs, wellness programs should facilitate engagement in moderate physical activity of at least 1 to 2 times a week among sedentary obese people and help them to maintain this more active lifestyle.)

Physical activity, Body Mass Index and health care costs in mid‐age Australian women

“…12,13,16,17 As expected, costs increased with decreasing activity and increasing BMI. Estimates of increased health care costs for combined categories of PA and BMI have not, however, been previously explored in a large, population-based cohort of women.…”

“…17 In this Australian study, we found differences in costs of the order of 19% between obese inactive mid-age women and obese women reporting even low levels of PA. Not surprisingly, a much greater difference (43%) was evident between sedentary obese and moderately active healthy-weight women. The Medicare costs reported here (an average of $536 per woman per year) include only the costs of visits to general practitioners, medical specialists and out-patient pathology and radiology services.…”

“…37 Another US study, which included all health care and pharmaceutical costs incurred by a large sample (n=196,000) of employees in the automotive industry, also found a 23.7% decrease in costs among those who reported 'brisk' PA three times a week or more, compared with those who reported none, with an average per person difference in costs of $US514. 17 Others have estimated that regular PA is associated with about a one-third reduction in annual health care costs. 13,16 On a population basis, our estimates show that the greatest potential relative cost savings would accrue if sedentary women could improve both their PA and BMI.…”

“…One study, with participants in a Michigan corporate health care plan, estimated that there would be cost savings of $US498 per person per year if obese sedentary employees met the guidelines for physical activity, without any change in BMI. 17 As 78.5% of the participants in that study were men, the cost savings for women are less clear.…”

“…11 In the United States (US), it has been shown that health care costs are inversely associated with PA, after adjustment for Body Mass Index (BMI), 12 and it is estimated that health care costs are $US300 per person per year less for regularly active than for sedentary adults. 13 As it is now well established that weightrelated health problems are ameliorated by regular PA 14 17 As 78.5% of the participants in that study were men, the cost savings for women are less clear. The aims of this study were therefore to quantify relationships between PA, BMI and Medicare costs in a cohort of midage Australian women and to estimate the potential population cost savings associated with increasing PA and decreasing BMI in sedentary women.…”