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Effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of interventions that cause weight loss and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
Author(s) -
Zomer Ella,
Leach Rachel,
Trimmer Christine,
Lobstein Tim,
Morris Stephen,
James William P.,
Finer Nick
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
diabetes, obesity and metabolism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.445
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1463-1326
pISSN - 1462-8902
DOI - 10.1111/dom.12792
Subject(s) - overweight , weight loss , medicine , psychological intervention , obesity , population , environmental health , disease , gerontology , demography , psychiatry , sociology
Background Overweight/obesity is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and costs. Weight loss has been shown to reverse some of these effects, reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease ( CVD ). Aim To determine the potential monies available, from an English National Health Service perspective, for weight loss interventions to be cost‐effective in the prevention of CVD . Methods A M arkov model was developed, populated with overweight/obese individuals from the H ealth S urvey for E ngland, aged 30–74 years, free of pre‐existing CVD and with available risk factor information to calculate CVD risk. All individuals were free of CVD at baseline and, with each annual cycle, could transition to other health states of primary CVD , secondary CVD or death according to transition probabilities for a maximum period of 10 years, or until death. Utilities, costs and the effects of weight loss on CVD risk factors were applied. The potential monies available for CVD prevention strategies, provided the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio met UK arbitrary limits of between £20 000 and £30 000, was determined. Results Applying the effects of weight loss on CVD risk factors prevented 4 CVD events and saved 17 quality‐adjusted life‐years over 10 years per 1000 individuals. £34 to £51 was available per person per year for up to 10 years when meeting the UK arbitrary limits. Conclusions Individual annual financial allowances for weight loss interventions to be considered cost‐effective is relatively low; however, as a large proportion of the population is affected, wide cheap societal interventions are important.