It's always been obvious to me that smokers pay more taxes and die sooner and, in the end, consume less health care. Now there's a study to back up the notion that obese people and smokers are cheaper to treat.
In the long run, healthy people who live long lives are more expensive.
It costs more to care for healthy people who live years longer, according to a Dutch study that counters the common perception that preventing obesity would save governments millions of dollars.
--
''Lung cancer is a cheap disease to treat because people don't survive very long,'' van Baal said. ''But if they are old enough to get Alzheimer's one day, they may survive longer and cost more.''
--
Cancer incidence, except for lung cancer, was the same in all three groups. Obese people had the most diabetes, and healthy people had the most strokes.
--
Ultimately, the thin and healthy group cost the most, about $417,000, from age 20 on. The cost of care for obese people was $371,000, and for smokers, about $326,000.