"We're one small piece of the puzzle": evaluating the impact of short-term funding for tier two weight management services.

Introduction: Overweight and obesity are a global health epidemic and many attempts have been made to address the rising prevalence. In March 2021 the UK government announced £100 million of additional funding for weight management provisions. Of this, £30.5 million was split across local authorities in England to support the expansion of tier two behavioural weight management services for adults. The present work aimed to explore how this funding was used within the Yorkshire and Humber region to consolidate learning, collate best practice, and provide recommendations for future funding use. Method: One-hour semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 weight management service commissioners representing 9 of the 15 local authorities in the region. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using an established health inequality framework. From this, recommendations were co-developed with the commissioner group to establish best practice for future funding use. Results: Commissioners recognised that targeted weight management services were only one small piece of the puzzle for effectively managing obesity. Therefore, recommendations include targeting underserved communities, focussing on early prevention, addressing weight management in a whole systems context, and embracing innovative and holistic approaches to weight management. Discussion: Current short-term funding and restrictive commissioning processes of tier two services prevents sustainable and innovative weight management practice which is detrimental to patients, falls short of addressing health inequalities and negatively impacts staff health and wellbeing.

Differences in healthcare costs over 10 years following discharge from military service by weight trajectory.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among military personnel has increased substantially in the past two decades. Following military discharge many personnel can receive integrated health care from the Veterans Health Administration. Prior research related to the economic impacts of obesity has not examined health care costs following the transition into civilian life following military discharge. To address this evidence gap, this study sought to compare longitudinal costs over 10 years across weight categories among VA enrollees recently discharged from the military.

Cost of overweight, obesity, and related complications in Switzerland 2021.

Background: The prevalence of obesity has increased significantly in recent decades. Today, it is estimated that more than one-third of the world's population has overweight or obesity, rendering it one of the most significant global health concerns. This article provides a current estimate of the direct costs associated with managing overweight and obesity, including treatment of related complications, among adolescents (≥15 years) and adults in Switzerland. Methods: Prevalence of overweight and obesity based on the BMI reported in the 2017 Swiss Health Survey was extrapolated to 2021. Systematic literature searches were performed to identify treatment costs and epidemiological data of obesity-related complications and costs were extrapolated to 2021. Costing methodology was based on available source data for individual related complications. Treatment costs for complications attributable to overweight and obesity were estimated by applying their population attributable fraction (PAF). Results: More than 3.1 million inhabitants of Switzerland aged ≥15 years met the criteria for overweight or obesity in 2021. The prevalence of overweight increase over the past decades from 30.4% in 1992 to 41.9% in 2017 while prevalence of obesity doubled from 5.4 to 11.3%. Overall, the total attributable costs of overweight and obesity caused by seven assessed obesity-related complications (asthma, coronary heart disease, depression, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and stroke) are estimated at CHF 3657-5208 million with most of the costs (97-98%) caused by the assessed obesity-related complications. Only 2-3% of the total costs were attributable to the combined direct management of overweight and obesity by bariatric surgery (CHF 83 million), pharmacological therapy (CHF 26 million) and dietary counseling (CHF 18 million). Conclusion: Overweight and obesity impose a significant cost impact on the Swiss healthcare system, accounting for 4.2-6.1% of total healthcare expenditures in 2021. Notably, direct treatment of overweight and obesity accounts for only 0.08-0.18% of the total healthcare expenditures. The analysis also revealed a significant lack of available health economic evidence, necessitating the use of assumptions and approximations in this estimation. This is noteworthy, as respective data would be available in healthcare systems but are either unpublished or inaccessible.

Lifetime costs of overweight and obesity in Italy.

We use longitudinal electronic clinical data on a large representative sample of the Italian population to estimate the lifetime profile costs of different BMI classes - normal weight, overweight, and obese (I, II, and III) - in a primary care setting. Our research reveals that obese patients generate the highest cost differential throughout their lives compared to normal weight patients. Moreover, we show that overweight individuals spend less than those with normal weight, primarily due to reduced expenditures beginning in early middle age. Our estimates could serve as a vital benchmark for policymakers looking to prioritize public interventions that address the obesity pandemic while considering the increasing obesity rates projected by the OECD until 2030.

Cost-Effectiveness of Community-Based Diet and Exercise for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis and Obesity or Overweight.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity exacerbates pain and functional limitation in persons with knee osteoarthritis (OA). In the Weight Loss and Exercise for Communities with Arthritis in North Carolina (WE-CAN) study, a community-based diet and exercise (D + E) intervention led to an additional 6 kg weight loss and 20% greater pain relief in persons with knee OA and body mass index (BMI) >27 kg/m2 relative to a group-based health education (HE) intervention. We sought to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness of the usual care (UC), UC + HE, and UC + (D + E) programs, comparing each strategy with the "next-best" strategy ranked by increasing lifetime cost. METHODS: We used the Osteoarthritis Policy Model to project long-term clinical and economic benefits of the WE-CAN interventions. We considered three strategies: UC, UC + HE, and UC + (D + E). We derived cohort characteristics, weight, and pain reduction from the WE-CAN trial. Our outcomes included quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), cost, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). RESULTS: In a cohort with mean age 65 years, BMI 37 kg/m2, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain score 38 (scale 0-100, 100 = worst), UC leads to 9.36 QALYs/person, compared with 9.44 QALYs for UC + HE and 9.49 QALYS for UC + (D + E). The corresponding lifetime costs are $147,102, $148,139, and $151,478. From the societal perspective, UC + HE leads to an ICER of $12,700/QALY; adding D + E to UC leads to an ICER of $61,700/QALY. CONCLUSION: The community-based D + E program for persons with knee OA and BMI >27kg/m2 could be cost-effective for willingness-to-pay thresholds greater than $62,000/QALY. These findings suggest that incorporation of community-based D + E programs into OA care may be beneficial for public health.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of once-weekly semaglutide vs. once-daily liraglutide administered subcutaneously in patients with overweight and obesity: a decision analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity presents an enduring and multifaceted dilemma that impacts individuals, society, economies, and healthcare systems alike. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, including liraglutide and semaglutide, have received FDA approval for obesity treatment. This study aims to present a cost-effectiveness analysis to compare the cost and clinical outcomes of semaglutide vs. liraglutide on weight loss in people with overweight and obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to compare the cost and the clinical outcomes of adding weekly 2.4 mg SC semaglutide vs. daily 3.0 mg SC liraglutide or placebo to physical activity and diet control in overweight and obese patients. A clinical outcome of achieving ≥15% weight loss was chosen. A simple decision analysis model from a third-payer perspective was applied. Drug costs were based on the retail price of the USA market. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Results showed that 2.4 mg weekly semaglutide, when added to physical activity and diet control, was the most cost-effective choice in terms of ≥15% weight loss (ICER: $ 7,056/patient/68 weeks). The model was robust against the 50% increase in the unit cost of semaglutide and the 50% decrease in the unit cost of liraglutide, as well as the changes in probabilities by the corresponding 95% confidence intervals across the model. CONCLUSIONS: This cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that employing once-weekly 2.4 mg semaglutide emerges as a remarkably cost-effective option when contrasted with once-daily 3.0 mg liraglutide in patients with overweight and obesity when added to physical activity and diet control.

Change in overweight and obesity over a decade according to sociodemographic factors in Brazilian adolescents / Mudança no sobrepeso e obesidade após uma década de acordo com fatores sociodemográficos em adolescentes brasileiros

Abstract The aims were to examine changes in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among students from 2001 to 2011, and to verify if these changes differ according to age group, area of residence, and family income. We analyzed two cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2001 and 2011 with brazilian adolescents. Sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics were self-reported using a questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze changes in overweight and obesity between the two surveys. The nutritional status was the outcome of the present study and the surveys (2001 and 2011) were the exposure. The odds of being overweight and obese were higher among boys and girls in urban areas in the 2011 survey compared to the 2001. Boys and girls with higher income were also more likely to present overweight and obesity in the second survey compared to the first. An increase of overweight and obesity was observed over a decade. We suggest that future interventions consider the area of residence and the family income to strengthen the effectiveness of actions developed to prevent and control these indicators among adolescents.

Resumo Os objetivos do estudo foram examinar as mudanças na prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade entre os estudantes de 2001 a 2011 e verificar se essas alterações diferem de acordo com a faixa etária, a área de residência e a renda familiar. Analisamos dois levantamentos transversais realizados em 2001 e 2011 com adolescentes brasileiros. As características sociodemográficas e antropométricas foram autorrelatadas por meio de um questionário. Regressão logística multinomial foi utilizada para analisar as mudanças no sobrepeso e obesidade entre os dois inquéritos. O estado nutricional foi considerado o desfecho do presente estudo e os inquéritos (2001 e 2011) foram as exposições. As razões de chance de sobrepeso e obesidade foram maiores entre os meninos e meninas em áreas urbanas no inquérito de 2011 em comparação com 2001. Meninos e meninas com maior renda também apresentaram maior chance de sobrepeso e obesidade no segundo inquérito. Sugerimos que futuras intervenções considerem a área de residência e a renda familiar para fortalecer a eficácia das ações desenvolvidas para prevenir e controlar esses indicadores entre os adolescentes.

Determinants of outpatient expenditure within primary care in the Brazilian National Health System / Determinantes de gastos ambulatoriais na atenção primária do sistema público de saúde brasileiro

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: One of the big challenges facing governments worldwide is the financing of healthcare systems. Thus, it is necessary to understand the factors and key components associated with healthcare expenditure. The aim here was to identify demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and clinical factors associated with direct healthcare expenditure within primary care, among adults attended through the Brazilian National Health System in the city of Bauru. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted in five primary care units in Bauru (SP), Brazil. METHODS: Healthcare expenditure over the last 12 months was assessed through medical records of adults aged 50 years or more. Annual healthcare expenditure was assessed in terms of medication, laboratory tests, medical consultations and the total. Body mass index, waist circumference, hypertension, age, sex, physical activity and smoking were assessed through face-to-face interviews. RESULTS: The total healthcare expenditure for 963 participants of this survey was US$ 112,849.74 (46.9% consultations, 35.2% medication and 17.9% laboratory tests). Expenditure on medication was associated with overweight (odds ratio, OR = 1.80; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.07-3.01), hypertension (OR = 3.04; 95% CI: 1.91-4.82) and moderate physical activity (OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.38-0.81). Expenditure on consultations was associated with hypertension (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.12-2.47) and female sex (OR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.14-2.55). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that overweight, lower levels of physical activity and hypertension were independent risk factors associated with higher healthcare expenditure within primary care.

RESUMO CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Um dos grandes desafios dos governos em todo o mundo é o financiamento de sistemas de saúde e, por isso, é necessário compreender fatores e componentes-chave associados a despesas em saúde. O objetivo foi identificar fatores demográficos, socioeconômicos, de estilo de vida e clínicos associados aos gastos diretos com saúde na atenção primária entre adultos do Sistema Único de Saúde da cidade de Bauru. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo transversal realizado em cinco Unidades Básicas de Saúde em Bauru (SP), Brasil. MÉTODO: Gastos com saúde nos últimos 12 meses foram avaliados através de prontuários médicos de adultos de 50 anos ou mais. Gastos anuais com saúde foram avaliados com: medicamentos, exames laboratoriais, consultas médicas e total. Índice de massa corporal, circunferência da cintura, hipertensão, idade, sexo, atividade física e tabagismo foram avaliados por meio de entrevista face a face. RESULTADOS: O gasto total com serviços de saúde para os 963 participantes deste inquérito foi de US$ 112.849.74 (46,9% consultas, 35,2% medicamentos e 17,9% exames). Gastos com medicamentos foram associados com sobrepeso (odds ratio, OR = 1,80 [intervalo de confiança, IC 95%: 1,07-3,01]), hipertensão (OR = 3,04 [IC 95%: 1,91-4,82]) e atividade física moderada (OR = 0,56 [95% IC: 0,38-0,81]). Gastos com consultas foram associados com hipertensão (OR = 1,67 [IC 95%: 1,12-2,47]) e sexo feminino (OR = 1,70 [IC 95%: 1,14-2,55]). CONCLUSÃO: Nossos resultados mostraram que sobrepeso, menor nível de atividade física e hipertensão são fatores de risco independentes associados com maiores gastos com saúde na atenção primária.

Obesidad en Argentina: epidemiología, morbimortalidad e impacto económico / Obesity in Argentina: epidemiology, morbimortality and economic impact

OBJETIVO: obtener conocimientos aplicables al diseño de estrategias de prevención, control y tratamiento de la obesidad y otros factores de riesgo cardiovascular (FRCV), para la toma de decisiones basadas en evidencia local y para optimizar el uso de recursos humanos y económicos en entidades de financiamiento de salud. MÉTODOS: estudio observacional y cuantitativo. Se verificaron: a) asociaciones entre obesidad y características demográficas y epidemiológicas; b) eventos fatales, costo por muerte prematura y Años de Vida Saludables Perdidos atribuibles al sobrepeso/obesidad. RESULTADOS: la prevalencia nacional de sobrepeso y obesidad fue de 34,8% y 14,8%, respectivamente, con edades entre 35 y 64 años. Un tercio de la población obesa presentó obesidad severa a muy severa. El 16,2% de los obesos y el 15,1% de las personas con sobrepeso tenían Necesidades Básicas Insatisfechas. El 40,4% de las personas con obesidad presentaron otros FRCV asociados, siendo la hipertensión arterial el más frecuente (48,1%). Las muertes atribuibles al sobrepeso/obesidad fueron 14.776, con lo cual se perdieron 596.704 Años de Vida Saludables atribuibles al exceso de peso y con un costo total por muerte prematurade AR$ 190,5 millones, del cual el 70% fue atribuible al sobrepeso. CONCLUSIONES: es necesario implementar estrategias efectivas de prevención y tratamiento del sobrepeso/obesidad para disminuir su alto costo económico y los Años de Vida Saludable perdidos por su causa.

OBJECTIVE: To gain knowledge that may be applied to the design of strategies for the prevention, control and treatment of obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs), to promote their use for local evidence-based decision making and to optimize the use of human and economic resources in health financing entities. METHODS: Observational and quantitative study recording: a) associations between obesity and demographic/epidemiological characteristics; b) fatal events, cost of premature deaths and lost healthy life years due to overweight and obesity. RESULTS: National prevalence of overweight and obesity: 34.8% and14.8%, respectively; age range of the adult overweight/obesity population: 35-64 years; one third of the obese population presents severe to very severe obesity; unsatisfied basicneeds: 16.2% and 15.4% in obese and overweight people, respectively; presence of other associated CVRFs: 40.4% of obese people, being hypertension the most frequent one(48.1%); deaths due to overweight//obesity: 14.776; cost of premature deaths: $190.5 millions (70% due to overweight); lost healthy life years due to overweight: 596.704. CONCLUSION: Effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity should be implemented to decrease the high socioeconomic costs and the lost healthy life years due to the disease.