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Fitness, Obesity, and Health Care Costs

Association between cardiorespiratory fitness, obesity, and health care costs: The Veterans Exercise Testing Study

International Journal of Obesity volume 43, pages 2225–2232 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objective

Obesity is a chronic disease, a risk factor for other chronic conditions and for early mortality, and is associated with higher health care utilization. Annual spending among obese individuals is at least 30% higher vs. that for normal-weight peers. In contrast, higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is related to many health benefits. We sought to examine the association between CRF and health care costs across the spectrum of body mass index (BMI).

Methods

Data from 3,924 men (58.1 ± 11.1 years, 29.2 ± 5.3 kg.m−2) who completed a maximal exercise test for clinical reasons and to estimate CRF were recorded prospectively at the time of testing. Cost data (USD) from each subject during a 6-year period after the exercise test were merged with the exercise database and compared according to BMI and estimated CRF (CRFe). Subjects were categorized as normal-weight (BMI < 25.0 kg.m−2), overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg.m−2), and obese (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg.m−2). We also formed four CRFe categories based on age-stratified quartiles of metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved: least-fit (5.1 ± 1.5 METs; n = 1,044), moderately-fit (7.6 ± 1.5 METs; n = 938), fit (9.4 ± 1.5 METs; n = 988), and highly-fit (12.4 ± 2.2 METs; n = 954).

Results

Average annual costs per person adjusted for age and presence of cardiovascular disease were $37,018, $40,572, and $45,683 for normal-weight, overweight, and obese subjects, respectively (p < 0.01). For each 1-MET incremental increase in CRFe, annual cost savings per person were $3,272, $4,252, and $6,103 for normal-weight, overweight, and obese subjects, respectively. Stratified by CRFe categories, annual costs for normal-weight, overweight, and obese subjects in the highest CRFe quartile were $28,028, $31,669, and $32,807 lower, respectively, compared to subjects in the lowest CRFe quartile (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Higher CRFe is associated with lower health care costs. Cost savings were particularly evident in obese subjects, suggesting that the economic burden of obesity may be reduced through interventions that target improvements in CRF.

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Acknowledgements

Christina Grüne de Souza e Silva was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)/Programa de Doutorado Sanduíche−88881.136006/2016–01

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Christina Grüne de Souza de Silva, Rachelle Doom, Danekka Loganathan, Holly Fonda, Khin Chan & Jonathan Myers

  2. Heart Institute Edson Saad/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Christina Grüne de Souza de Silva

  3. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    Peter Kokkinos

  4. Exercise Medicine Clinic – CLINIMEX, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Claudio Gil Soares de Araújo

  5. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Jonathan Myers

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  1. Christina Grüne de Souza de Silva
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Correspondence to Christina Grüne de Souza de Silva.

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de Souza de Silva, C., Kokkinos, P., Doom, R. et al. Association between cardiorespiratory fitness, obesity, and health care costs: The Veterans Exercise Testing Study. Int J Obes 43, 2225–2232 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0257-0

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