Is there more to the equation? Weight bias and the costs of obesity.

Abstract

The costs of obesity have been well studied, with estimates in Canada reaching $7.1 billion annually. These estimates fuel public and professional discourse about obesity as an "epidemic" with substantial economic and public health consequences. However, cost estimates for obesity thus far have neglected to consider a critical variable: weight bias (i.e., negative bias towards individuals based on their body weight). In this commentary, we propose that some costs currently attributed to obesity may be partly or fully attributable to weight bias. Taking a burden of illness approach, we show that data derived from a purposeful literature search, provided as proof of concept, support the notion that weight bias may be an important variable to consider when calculating obesity-related costs. We propose that future research on costs of obesity should consider weight bias, with goals of achieving more accurate cost attributions and identifying appropriate leverage points for interventions to improve well-being of the population.