Increase in Obesity and Health-Care Use, from the Health Survey for England, Ages 50 to 69, 1998

Background: The relationship between obesity and the use of health-care services was assessed in the population between 50 and 69 in England in 1998, where such analysis had not yet been done. Methods: All data was obtained from the Health Survey for England (HSE), a cross-sectional survey that collected information about the health of a sample of the British population in 1998. Analysis was limited to the 4,102 men and women between 50-69 years with a valid body mass index (BMI) >18.5 kg/m². BMI was analysed in relation to use of 4 types of health-care service, and the odds ratio (OR) for use of each of these services was determined for obese people (BMI ≥30 kg/m²), compared with normal-weight individuals (BMI 18.5-25). Results: There was an association between obesity status and use of outpatient services in a 12-month period (adjusted 0R 1.25; 95% CI, 1.03-1.51) and with ≥2 medical prescriptions (adjusted OR 1.86; 95% CI, 1.51-2.29). No significant relationship was found between obesity and physician (GP) visits or with use of inpatient and/or day-patient services. Conclusions: Although obesity did not lead to increases in use in all 4 health-care measures assessed as it has in some other countries, it does lead to some increases in health-care utilization in England and appears to impose an additional burden on health-care services. With the rising rates of obesity and its co-morbidities, there may be larger stresses on the health-care system in England if efforts to reduce obesity are not put into effect.