Obesity in Late Adolescence and Healthcare Costs in Young to Mid‐Adulthood
Authors' conclusion
The correlation between obesity in adolescence and higher medical costs is evident already in early-and-mid-adulthood.
Study context
- Population
- Conscripts for mandatory military service with medical evaluation at age 17, followed via a large national healthcare providernational cohort
- Participants
- 496,404 participants
- Exposure
- Adolescent BMI categories vs normal BMI
- Outcome
- Direct healthcare cost (hospitalization days and total healthcare costs), standardized by gross domestic product (GDP) inflation rates and purchasing power parity
- Follow-up
- Ages 35, 45 and 55
Methodological detailsnational cohort, adjusted for sex and socioeconomic status
- National cohort
- Adjusted for sex and socioeconomic status
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Total healthcare costs · age 45
Fold higher costs
1.65
Obesity class I
Fold higher costs
1.62
Obesity class II/III
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Total healthcare costs by sex
- Association stronger among males
Original publication
Obesity in Late Adolescence and Healthcare Costs in Young to Mid‐Adulthood. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 27 April 2026. doi:10.
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