Many of us were brought up to believe that talking about money all the time — “harping” on the subject, as some of our folks might have put it — is in poor taste; a crass and undignified habit. But since when has telling people not to dwell on a topic ever changed what they do in the privacy of their own heads?
Besides, not having money can also be undignified and crass, and it behooves us to give the subject a bit of thought, now and then. Here, in this blog, it is appropriate to think about how much our individual habits and mistakes might penalize society as a whole, causing some members of that society to feel an urge to take revenge on our kids in some way. This is not a good feeling to have, and might even keep some of us awake at night, as well it should.
It fits right in with the “blame and shame” theme
In calculating the economic cost of obesity to society, several factors are considered, of which perhaps the most obvious is direct medical spending. Over the past decade, it has been estimated that an obese adult will rack up almost $2,000 more in yearly medical expenses than a healthy-weight adult, and with severe obesity that excess figure can hit $3,000.
Some factors are harder to pin down or assign precise figures to, but it has been observed that in the workplace, obesity relates to reduced productivity, absenteeism, claims filed for disability, and the depletion of workers’ compensation funds. The three extra workdays per year that an average obese individual misses do not initially sound like much, but they add up. Our source is “Costs of obesity, obesity-related complications, and weight loss in the United States: A systematic literature review.”
A decade past
In 2016, estimated national productivity losses were between $13 billion and (twice that number) $26 billion, depending on which study was consulted. Some researchers found that if they included other factors, like related diseases and premature death amongst workers, the loss could be quoted as more than a trillion dollars annually.
The scholars who write about such matters tend to point out that the price is not always paid by the obese individuals who incur those costs. Sure, the patients often pony up a hefty share, but then so do their employers, and the insurers they work with, along with government programs and the taxpayers who contribute to them. But no matter how you slice it, the bill for a lot of people’s obesity is picked up by the general public.
The bottom line
This is why it is important to remind the parents of children how it all works. We don’t want our kids growing up to be burdens on society. Even if we ourselves do not think of societal responsibility for healthcare as a particularly bad idea, please be assured that plenty of people do feel that way. If we let our kids grow into obese adults, they will always be unpopular with someone, and why on earth would we allow them to slide into such a fate? It seems like we ought to do everything we can to prevent it.
Very few parents would wish for a child to reach adulthood as a shunned and even hated individual. Mothers and fathers who would not have an objectionable picture tattooed onto their child’s face might still unthinkingly participate in facilitating that child’s growth into an obese adult. That is, into a grownup who could one day be scorned, just as sincerely as someone who wears a signed contract with Beelzebub on his or her forehead.
(To be continued…)
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Costs of obesity, obesity-related complications, and weight loss in the United States: A systematic literature review,” Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, July 2025
Image by geralt/Pixabay
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