Fat People Save Healthcare Dollars

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Specializes in ER.

Preventing obesity and smoking can save lives, but it doesn't save money, researchers reported Monday. It costs more to care for healthy people who live years longer, according to a Dutch study that counters the common perception that preventing obesity would save governments millions of dollars.:pumpiron:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080205/ap_on_he_me/obesity_cost&printer=1;_ylt=Ajb2QfRkveSLki8WTQq4vFRa24cA

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Specializes in PCU, Home Health.

Dang- maybe the insurance companies have known this all along!

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and smokers are even cheaper.

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Always knew I was a cheap date! Now I have the proof to back it up!

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

you know those dutch!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I can't believe that. Having someone hospitalized over and over again for years, or being on all kinds of medications, verses someone who isn't hospitalized but lives a long life.

Sorry, that's a load of bunk.

Besides we haven't been very successful at preventing obesity.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I read a French study years ago which basically said the same thing, only for smokers. Essentially, people who die young from lung cancer are ultimately cheaper to care for than those who live to a ripe old age.

I wonder, though, if they are only analysing one set of data, and not looking at the whole picture? I suspect so. They say you can prove anything with statistics.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Mark Twain put it this way: "There are three kinds of lies---lies, damned lies, and statistics." I'm not sure exactly which category this particular study falls into, but as a woman of size myself, I have to admit these cold calculations are more than a little disturbing. I'll just bet the insurance industry can't wait for us to kick the bucket.:icon_roll

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
Mark Twain put it this way: "There are three kinds of lies---lies, damned lies, and statistics." I'm not sure exactly which category this particular study falls into, but as a woman of size myself, I have to admit these cold calculations from the insurance industry are more than a little disturbing. I'll just bet they can't wait for us to kick the bucket.:icon_roll

Yes, but they undoubtedly prefer a quick death, rather than a long drawn out hospitalization beforehand. :rolleyes:

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Mark Twain put it this way: "There are three kinds of lies---lies, damned lies, and statistics." I'm not sure exactly which category this particular study falls into, but as a woman of size myself, I have to admit these cold calculations are more than a little disturbing. I'll just bet the insurance industry can't wait for us to kick the bucket.:icon_roll

Mark Twain was right - those newspaper folks better be careful because I just finished statistics myself. :nono:

steph;)

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