Quality of life
Quality of life is the most important factor for many patients and when that is negatively affected, it becomes the major reason for a patient to seek medical treatment. All aspects of health contribute to one’s quality of life, including physical, mental, social, and economic health. Obesity has a larger negative impact on quality of life than either smoking or drinking alcohol. It is estimated that obesity reduces your quality of life more than aging 20 years does (see chart below). Emotional well-being is negatively affected by obesity, possibly due to the comorbidities associated with it. Obesity increases the direct medical care cost for a patient by 36% and increases the spending on medication by 77%. Weight loss improves quality of life consistently, in a constant ratio: The greater the weight loss, the greater the improvement in quality of life, until a healthy weight is achieved.
