The annual cost of being obese in the U.S. is $4,879 for women and $2,646 for men, according to a study by George Washington University researchers. The researchers analyzed prior research to determine the “real-life costs” of obesity, such as loss of productivity at work, more employee sick days and the need for additional gasoline.
The report also factored in earlier deaths caused by obesity and found that the economic value of lost life pushed the annual cost of obesity to $8,365 for women and $6,518 for men. In contrast, the annual cost of being overweight was $524 for women and $432 for men.
The discrepancy between the sexes might because obese or overweight women typically have lower incomes than thinner women. For men, wages did not vary based on weight.
