Nearly one out of every three people ages 50-59 is now considered obese, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control, compared to less than one in every five for people age 18 to 29. In addition, baby boomers are significantly fatter than their parents' generation, according to a study by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Boomers are struggling to exercise enough to combat their expanding waistlines. But only one in four gets the amount of exercise experts recommend for staying healthy, according to a 2011 poll of nearly 1,500 adults by the Associated Press and LifeGoesStrong.com.
Obesity can lead to serious health problems including diabetes and heart disease and that takes a huge toll on healthcare expenses. For example, a 65-year-old who has been obese since age 45 personally incurs roughly $50,000 more in uninsured Medicare costs than a normal weight 65-year old does, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Medicare and Medicaid end up paying for roughly half of the cost of obesity, which was an estimated $147 billion in 2008, according to a study published in Health Affairs.
So the question is how much will you cost Medicare and Medicaid and what are you doing to stay in shape?
1 comment:
This is information that we babyboomers need to take very seriously. It is imperative to maintain a heslthy life style. With rising cost for our health needs, it is so important to loss weight to protect our bodies from many illnesses. Thank you for sharing this vital information.
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