Obesity costing world economy $2 trillion a year
22 Nov 2014 4:56 AM IST
Obesity is costing the world more than almost as much as smoking or terrorism and war. The epidemic — one-third of the world’s population is overweight or obese in 2013, is costing Britain almost £47 billion a year, while globally, it is costing the world economy $2 trillion a year in health costs and lower productivity, according to a study from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI).
Obesity ranks far more costly than alcoholism, climate change, air pollution and drug problems and falls just behind armed conflict and smoking in terms of the most costly human-generated burdens.
The financial loss to obesity is equivalent to Russia’s gross domestic product. In UK, obesity is second only to the £57 billion annual toll smoking takes on the economy. MGI said, ‘Obesity is jostling with armed conflict and smoking in terms of having the greatest human-generated global economic impact’. MGI said that obesity is a critical global issue that requires a comprehensive intervention strategy. More than 2.1 billion people,30% of the global population, are overweight.
Obesity ranks far more costly than alcoholism, climate change, air pollution and drug problems and falls just behind armed conflict and smoking in terms of the most costly human-generated burdens.
The financial loss to obesity is equivalent to Russia’s gross domestic product. In UK, obesity is second only to the £57 billion annual toll smoking takes on the economy. MGI said, ‘Obesity is jostling with armed conflict and smoking in terms of having the greatest human-generated global economic impact’. MGI said that obesity is a critical global issue that requires a comprehensive intervention strategy. More than 2.1 billion people,30% of the global population, are overweight.
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