ECONOMIC BURDEN OF OBESITY IN HUNGARY.

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a significant threat to national and global public health in terms of its prevalence and economic burden due to obesity-related complications (ORCs) and morbidities. The aim of this study is to calculate obesity-related public expenditures in Hungary in order to estimate the expenses and contribution of patients in 2019 and in 2022, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.

Method: Expenditures related to patients with obesity, who suffered from more frequent co-morbidities, were requested from the national database of the National Health Insurance Fund. Financial information related to the inpatient and the outpatient providers and reimbursement for the prescription of medicines and healing aids was collected.

Results: Obesity-related morbidities represent 10-12 % of all cases in the public health care system. National public health care expenses were reported to be close to HUF 144 billion (EUR 444 million) for 2019 and HUF 133 billion (EUR 393 million) for 2022. These sums represent 7-11% of the total national spending for health care provision, not accounting for sick leave expenditures. The co-payment of patients was estimated to be around HUF 34 billion (EUR 104 million) for 2019 and HUF 43 billion (EUR 109 million) for 2022. Public expenditures and co-payments related to Type 2 diabetes and hypertension were the highest. Public and individual expenditures represent 0.3-0.4% of the GDP, which is equivalent to EUR 56 and EUR 52 per capita, respectively, for all inhabitants of the country.

Conclusion: Reducing these high expenses is possible through the introduction of appropriate education and public health policies to prevent obesity at an individual level and enable weight reduction among persons living with obesity. To calculate the cost of obesity, an international consensus on standardized methods is required to improve homogeneity and comparability.