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Researchers from National Institute for Public Health and the Environment report recent findings in obesity prevention
April 15th, 2008
2008 APR 15 -- Data detailed in 'The costs, effects and cost-effectiveness of counteracting overweight on a population level. A scientific base for policy targets for the Dutch national plan for action' have been presented. In this recent study, researchers in Bilthoven, Netherlands conducted a study "To gain insight in realistic policy targets for overweight at a population level and the accompanying costs. Therefore, the effect on overweight prevalence was estimated of large scale implementation of a community intervention (applied to 90% of general population) and an intensive lifestyle program (applied to 10% of overweight adults), and costs and cost-effectiveness were assessed." "Costs and effects were based on two Dutch projects and verified by similar international projects. A markov-type simulation model estimated long-term health benefits, health care costs and cost-effectiveness. Combined implementation of the interventions--at the above mentioned scale--reduces prevalence rates of overweight by approximately 3 percentage points and of physical inactivity by 2 percentage points after 5 years, at a cost of 7 euros per adult capita per year. The cost-effectiveness ratio of combined implementation amounts to euro 6000 per life-year gained and euro 5700 per QALY gained (including costs of unrelated diseases in life years gained). Sensitivity analyses showed that these ratios are quite robust. A realistic policy target is a decrease in overweight prevalence of three percentage points, compared to a situation with no interventions. In reality, large scale implementation of the interventions may not counteract the expected upward trends in The Netherlands completely," wrote W. Bemelmans and colleagues, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. The researchers concluded: "Nonetheless, implementation of the interventions is cost-effective." Bemelmans and colleagues published their study in Preventive Medicine (The costs, effects and cost-effectiveness of counteracting overweight on a population level. A scientific base for policy targets for the Dutch national plan for action. Preventive Medicine, 2008;46(2):127-32). For more information, contact W. Bemelmans, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands. Publisher contact information for the journal Preventive Medicine is: Academic Press Inc. Elsevier Science, 525 B St., Ste. 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495, USA. Keywords: Netherlands, Bilthoven, Obesity Prevention, Bariatrics, Obesity, Public Health. This article was prepared by Disease Prevention Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Disease Prevention Week via NewsRx.com.
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