What is the Economic Cost of Overweight Children?

Eric Johnson, Melayne Morgan McInnes () and Judith Shinogle
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Eric Johnson: Kent State University
Judith Shinogle: RTI International

Eastern Economic Journal, 2006, vol. 32, issue 1, pages 171-187

Abstract: Childhood overweight is now considered the most common health problem for children in the U.S. An important question is whether parents and policymakers will see rising medical expenditures for these children while they are still young. We estimate the overweight attributable fraction (OAF) of children’s medical expenditures, controlling for other factors that may cause expenditures to differ. We find that medical expenditures for overweight children are on average $12.09 higher per year (OAF = 0.5 percent), but confidence intervals are large and include zero. We also find little difference in the types of principal diagnoses per visit reported by weight status.

Date: 2006
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