An Increasing Reduction In BMI Among Adults Is Associated With Increasingly Lower Health Care Spending

Health care spending among adult Medicare beneficiaries, those with a baseline body mass index (BMI) of 30 was about 7% lower ($1,262) among those who reduced their weight by 5%. As their weight continued to decline, their health care spending also declined. Among Medicare beneficiaries who reduced their weight by 25%, their health care spending was 31% lower ($5,442). Similarly, adults with employer-sponsored insurance with a weight loss of 5% were estimated to spend a mean of $670 less on health care (8% less), and those with a weight loss of 25% spent an estimated mean of . . .