Job Absenteeism Costs of Obesity in the United States: National and State-Level Estimates. Issue 7 (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cawley, John; Biener, Adam; Meyerhoefer, Chad; Ding, Yuchen; Zvenyach, Tracy; Smolarz, B. Gabriel; Ramasamy, Abhilasha
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 63:Issue 7(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: indirect costs -- instrumental variables -- job absenteeism -- obesity -- two-part negative binomial model -- work productivity; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002198
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To estimate the causal effect of obesity on job absenteeism and the associated lost productivity in the United States, both nationwide and by state. Methods: We conducted a retrospective pooled cross-sectional analysis using the 2001 to 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and estimated two-part models of instrumental variables. Results: Obesity, relative to normal weight, raises job absenteeism due to injury or illness by 3.0 days per year (128%). Annual productivity loss due to obesity ranges from $271 to $542 (lower/upper bound) per employee with obesity, with national productivity losses ranging from $13.4 to $26.8 billion in 2016. Trends in state-level estimates mirror those at the national level, varying across states. Conclusions: Obesity significantly raises job absenteeism. Reductions in job absenteeism should be included when calculating the cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent or reduce obesity among employed adults. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text