1. TACKLING UNHEALTHY DIETS
AND OBESITY: THE HEALTH
EFFECTS OF PREVENTION
POLICIES
The Economics of Prevention
OECD – Health Division

2. In Any Given Moment, Obese Patients
Cost More
90
95
100
105
110
115
Normal-weight patient Obese patient (US) Obese patient (EU)
Relativecostofpatients
Source:Brunello et al., 2008
Bhattacharia & Sood, 2005

3. The Burden of Obesity on Health Systems
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7%
US
Portugal
New Zealand
Canada
Germany
Australia
France
% of total healthcare budget
Roux & Donaldson, 2004
Konnopka, Bodemann, Konig, 2011

4. A Comprehensive & Affordable
Prevention Package to Tackle Obesity
OECD Countries Emerging Economies
Mass media campaigns Mass media campaigns
Compulsory food labelling Compulsory food labelling
Industry self-regulation of food
advertising to children
Government regulation of food
advertising to children
Physician-dietician counselling Fiscal measures
School-based interventions
Canada Europe Brazil China
24.03 $/cap 22.45 $/cap 0.40 $/cap 0.20 $/cap

5. Expectations Must Be Realistic
• Does prevention improve health?
• Does it reduce health expenditure?
• Does it improve health inequalities?
• Is it cost-effective?

6. Prevention Saves Lives
Life Years Saved Every Year by Preventing Obesity
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
China
Europe
Brazil
Canada
Life years (millions)
1 LY / 19 persons.
1 LY / 8
1 LY / 20
1 / 8

7. Prevention Keeps Healthy
Years of Life Free of Chronic Diseases
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50
Millionlifeyears
Time (years)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50
Millionlifeyears
Time (years)
Europe China Brazil Canada
Cancers (lung, colorectal, breast) Cardiovascular diseases

8. Prevention is a Good Investment
Impact on Health Expenditure of Preventing Obesity
-140
-120
-100
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
$/capita
Time (years)
Europe
Canada
Brazil
China

9. Cost-Effectiveness of Prevention
Brazil
China
Canada
Europe
05101520253035
Thousand $ / DALY
After 20 years After 50 years
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Thousand $ / DALY

10. Key Policy Implications
• Obesity and NCDs are global economic issues
• Prices and regulations work best in emerging
economies. Primary care doctors play a role in
countries with stronger health systems
• Comprehensive intersectoral prevention
strategies are more efficient and generate larger
health gains
• We can afford to tackle obesity and prevention is
good value for money

11. • OECD Obesity update 2014 –
[The economic crisis & obesity]
• OECD/WHO-Euro/Europ.
Observatory book
• OECD health working papers
HWP 32, 45, 46, 48, [65], 66
• Lancet papers on NCDs and
priority interventions
• WHO/OECD “Best buys” paper
for the UN Summit on NCDs
OECD Work on Health Behaviours
http://www.oecd.org/health/economics-of-prevention.htm http://www.oecd.org/health/obesity-update.htm