The cosmic costs of overweight and obesity. They will exceed next year's defense spending

By 2060, the economic costs of obesity and overweight could rise to 3.29% globally. GDP; in Poland, their increase is forecast to 4.86%. GDP – indicate economists from the Polish Economic Institute, citing research. The greatest increase in total economic costs will be concentrated in low- and middle-income countries.

“Obesity and overweight are not only a pressing health problem, but also a significant burden for the entire global economy. A study based on data from 161 countries estimated that in 2019, the economic costs of obesity and overweight accounted for 2.19% of global GDP, with the United States responsible for nearly 38% of global costs related to this phenomenon,” wrote the PIE report.

“Assuming that the current trend continues, by 2060 the costs of obesity and overweight will increase globally to 3.29% of GDP. The share of these costs in the EU's GDP will increase from 2.16% in 2019 to 3.02% in 2060.” – added.

The authors of the report indicate that in Poland the economic costs of obesity and overweight in 2019 amounted to 2.58%. GDP, and by 2060 their increase is forecast to 4.86%. GDP, which would place Poland in 2nd place in the ranking of EU member states, right after Bulgaria, whose costs, according to estimates, will reach as much as 7.08 percent. GDP.

“Importantly, the greatest increase in the total economic costs of obesity and overweight will be concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, where they may increase in some cases up to 25 times,” PIE economists point out.

“This is due to the dynamic socio-economic changes taking place in them, including intensive urbanization, changing the nature of work to office work and a decline in the level of physical activity. Moreover, in these countries, a high-calorie diet dominates, rich in fats, sugars and salt, but poor in valuable nutrients” – they add.

The authors of the report, citing data from the National Health Fund, indicate that the problem of obesity and overweight already affects 64.5 percent. adult Poles – 26.8 percent of them are obese, and 37.7 percent – overweight people.

The data, published in October 2025 by the National Health Fund, comes from analyzes covering 13.4 million adult primary care patients, for whom the BMI was calculated to assess the scale of the phenomenon.

“Obesity and overweight are a growing challenge for public finances. Estimates indicate that in the years 2020-2050, OECD countries will allocate up to 8% of their health budgets to the treatment of obesity complications. In response to the scale of the problem, states are increasingly using public policy tools, such as taxation, food labeling and community interventions,” PIE economists said in the report.

“An example of such solutions are taxes on products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), applicable in various forms in twelve EU Member States. The European Commission is currently considering their harmonization at the level of the entire Community,” they added. (PAP Business)

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