1059-P: Excess Body Weight Contributes to an 8.3 Year Premature Health Economic Aging Equivalent to an Additional Annual Healthcare Expenditure of $306B-Results of a U.S. Population Study

Introduction: Premature ageing is a recognized feature of chronic disease. As healthcare expenditure increases with age, the concept of health economic (HE) aging can be used to quantify the economic burden of disease. There is limited evidence regarding the effect of excess body weight on HE aging and the impact this may have on healthcare expenditure. This study sought to evaluate the effect of body weight on a measure of HE age and associated healthcare resource use. Methods: Using US population-level data, we applied published age and body mass index (BMI) direct healthcare cost data to estimate the impact of excess BMI on measures of HE age. Using NHANES (2017-2020) we extracted the adult population who were overweight/obese and related their costs to the optimal age-adjusted BMI in order to derive a measure of HE age and healthcare resource implications. Results: Compared to an ideal body weight (24 BMI kg/m2), living with excess body weight resulted in a premature ageing of 1.5 billion years across the adult overweight/obese population, representing an average increase in HE age of 8.3 years per person per year (4.2 years in males and 10.4 years for females). The greatest HE aging occurred in the 40-60-year age group with average increase in HE age of 11.2 years. Total BMI attributable premature ageing accounted for $306 billion in direct healthcare expenditure per year. The cost saving associated with achieving ideal body weight, while maintaining current levels of US health care expenditure, would enable the treatment of an additional 45 million 60-years old adults with ideal body weight. Conclusion: Compared to an ideal body weight, excess weight in the US population contributes to significant premature health economic ageing and excess resource use. Efforts to achieve an ideal body weight may result in cost saving translating into significant additional healthcare capacity at current expenditure levels.