John Cawley1, Adam Biener, Chad Meyerhoefer, Yuchen Ding, Tracy Zvenyach, B Gabriel Smolarz, Abhilasha Ramasamy. 1. Department of Policy Analysis and Management and Department of Economics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (Dr Cawley); Department of Economics, Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania (Dr Biener); College of Business, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (Dr Meyerhoefer); Bluebird Bio, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts (Dr Ding); Nurse Disrupted, LLC, Madison, Wisconsin (Dr Zvenyach); Novo Nordisk Inc., Plainsboro, NJ (Dr Smolarz and Ms Ramasamy).
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.
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.