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. 2018 Dec 19;43(9):1839–1848. doi: 10.1038/s41366-018-0288-6

Table 3.

Annual primary care consultation and prescription costs attributed to excess weight among women aged 55–79 years in England

Body mass index (kg/m2) Number of women aged 55–79 in England (million) Total annual costs (£ million) Costs attributed to excess weight
Absolute annual costs (£ million) (99% CI) Proportion costs attributed (%) (99% CI)
Primary care consultations
<25 2.83 826
25–29.9 2.28 737 71 (60, 82) 10 (8, 11)
30–34.9 1.06 399 88 (80, 97) 22 (20, 24)
35–39.9 0.30 130 41 (36, 46) 32 (29, 34)
≥40 0.16 75 28 (24, 33) 38 (34, 42)
≥25 (all overweight and obesity) 3.80 1340 229 (210, 248) 17 (16, 18)
Prescriptions items issued
<25 2.83 661
25–29.9 2.28 636 112 (91, 132) 18 (15, 20)
30–34.9 1.06 392 147 (133, 162) 38 (35, 40)
35–39.9 0.30 139 70 (61, 79) 50 (47, 53)
≥40 0.16 92 56 (48, 65) 61 (57, 64)
≥25 (all overweight and obesity) 3.80 1259 384 (352, 418) 31 (28, 33)

Estimates were derived by combining standardised estimates of annual costs per person (Table 2) and estimates of the number of women aged 55–79 in England by self-reported BMI category (Table S5). See further details of methods in statistical appendix