|Slideshows|February 24, 2020

The true costs of obesity

As obesity rates continue to rise, an increase in chronic diseases and productivity loss become major concerns. 

The number of overweight or obese American adults has been climbing steadily for decades, reaching about 180 million as of 2016. Obesity and overweight are risk factors for a wide range of chronic diseases that together accounted for more than $1.5 trillion in healthcare costs and lost productivity, according to a 2018 study from the Milken Institute Center for Public Health. Highlights from the study follow. 

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