Obesity, a condition that increases the risk of severe chronic diseases such as diabetes, is estimated to have cost the Philippines around P1.9 trillion in 2025, according to the Epidemiological Burden and Cost of Obesity in the Philippines (EpiCOb-PH) study released Monday.
The EpiCOb-PH study was led by Dr. Madeleine de Rosas-Valera and funded by Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical (Philippines) Inc., aiming to assess obesity’s demographic distribution and economic burden in the country.
It also found that obesity’s total economic cost is equivalent to 7.3% of last year’s gross domestic product (GDP). The cost could rise to as much as P2.7 trillion if overweight-related expenses are also included.
Of the total cost, P551 billion was attributed to healthcare expenses, which could reach P790 billion when overweight is included. These cover direct medical costs such as hospital confinement, based on normative estimates assuming patients are diagnosed and treated according to medical guidelines.
Non-medical costs were also taken into account, reaching P165.39 billion, including expenses such as transportation.
Meanwhile, productivity losses, including workdays missed due to obesity-related conditions, were estimated at P1.17 trillion.
On an individual level, obesity’s average annual cost is estimated at around P66,696 per person, which could significantly increase when complications occur.
The study also estimated that of the 72 million Filipino adults, about 41% or 29.5 million people are overweight or obese based on the Asia-Pacific BMI threshold, placing more than four in 10 Filipino adults at risk of obesity-related health problems.
The EpiCOb-PH study, whose key aims include calculating the economic costs associated with obesity and estimating its health burden among Filipinos, used a modelling approach that combined multiple national data sources.
Researchers used data from the National Nutrition Survey and Expanded National Nutrition Survey from 1993 to 2023 to estimate obesity’s current and future trends and health impacts. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
