Obese kids weighing heavily on our health budgets

OUR children’s expanding waistlines are coming at a heavy cost – about $43.2 million annually.

And that doesn’t include hospital care. New research has for the first time calculated the cost of the obesity epi- demic among youngsters aged 6-13. Unlike previous studies the research, to be presented to a public hearing of the Senate Inquiry into the Obesity Epidemic in Australia today, looked at the causal effects of childhood obesity on publicly funded healthcare costs.

These costs included targeted exercise schemes, nutritionists, specialist assistance and GP visits but not out-of-pocket expenses incurred by families, hospital or mental health-related costs.

The study, conducted by Monash Business School’s Centre for Health Economics, analysed data on 3458 children from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, linked to their Medicare records.

Lead researcher Nicole Black said it was vital the community worked to find a solution to the epidemic. One in four Australian children is overweight or obese.

“I think it is important to account for these costs when trying to look at what the overall economic benefits targeted solutions will bring,” Dr Black said. “Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health concerns globally … an economic argument is needed for governments to act and to invest in obesity prevention.”

Australian Medical Association President Dr Tony Bartone said GPs were seeing more families in relation to weight issues.

“We are absolutely not doing enough … tackling this needs to start right from educating expectant mums and dads,” he said.