Obesity Costs Ireland An Estimated €1.64bn, According To New Study

The cost of overweight and obesity in Ireland has estimated the annual cost to be €1.64 billion, according to new safefood funded research.

The study, conducted by University College Cork (UCC) found that in the Republic of Ireland, 35% of total costs (€398 million) represented direct healthcare costs. However, two thirds (65%) of the economic costs were indirect costs in reduced or lost productivity and absenteeism and amounted to €728 million.

Mr Martin Higgins, Chief Executive of safefood said: "We now have reliable contemporary and locally relevant figures for the annual, economic cost of weight-related ill health in Ireland. While it is acknowledged that these are conservative figures and don't reflect the human and social costs, they show a compelling case for obesity prevention, based on changes in our food environment and physical activity levels."

In total, 18 weight-related diseases were studied and the main drivers of direct healthcare costs are cardiac disease (44%), type 2 diabetes (9%), colorectal cancer (12%), stroke (6%) and cancers of the breast (2%), kidney (3%) oesophagus (2%) and gallbladder (3%). Low back pain is a major driver for work absenteeism and productivity loss.

Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health & Nutrition of safefood said: "Excess body weight is associated with a significant burden of chronic disease, with negative effects on overall life expectancy, disability free life expectancy, quality of life, health care costs and productivity. The findings from this research are critical for establishing priorities in health policy development and to guide and inform our response to the issue of excess weight in our society which is fundamentally preventable."

(CD/GK)