Obesity Linked to Higher Workers' Comp Claims

People who are overweight and obese tend to use more health care services than other individuals and are at a greater risk of morbidity and mortality. Now comes a report documenting that obesity is associated with increased workers' compensation claims and costs.

A group of investigators conducted a retrospective study of 11,728 health care and university employees during 1997–2004. The researchers tracked workers' compensation claims, associated costs, lost workdays, and individual characteristics such as body mass index (BMI), age, sex, and smoking status.

Analysis of data showed that people with a BMI ≥40 had 11.65 claims per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, compared with 5.8 claims among those in a normal BMI range. The obese participants also lost more time from work; 183 workdays were lost per FTE among those with a BMI of ≥40, compared with 14.19 among those in the normal BMI range. Medical claims also were substantially higher, adding up to $59,178 per FTE among obese employees, compared with $7,503 per FTE among people with normal weight.

The results suggest that—considering the expenses associated with workers' comp—employers may want to invest in programs that encourage employees to lose weight and adopt healthier lifestyles.