Expanding access to obesity medications would significantly lower mortality rates, particularly in high-obesity states, saving over 50,000 lives yearly and improving health equity across the nation. Study: Estimating the lives that could be saved by expanded access to weight-loss drugs . Image Credit: Douglas Cliff / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , researchers estimated the potential reduction in mortality through increased access to weight loss medicines.
Obesity remains a major health crisis in the United States (US). It is also a risk factor for several chronic illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, and poor medical outcomes from nosocomial infections, infectious diseases, and surgical-site infections. The burden of obesity disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged groups, further entrenching health disparities in the US.
Widespread accessibility could drive a shift in BMI: The study projects that if all eligible individuals have access to weight-loss drugs, up to 41.3% of obese individuals could lower their BMI to below 30 in an optimistic uptake scenario. Obesity also mounts an immense economic burden, with medical costs projected to exceed $170 billion yearly.
Obese individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds face additional healthcare costs, spending, on average, over $1,800 more annually than those without obesity. It has been a remarkable discovery t.