Asia Pacific countries are currently grappling with the world's fastest-rising obesity rates and this is driving a need for change in how employers, insurers, and policymakers approach health and benefits, according to WTW research based on MAXIS Global Benefits Network (GBN) data.
Released on the occasion of Chronic Disease Awareness Day, which is annually observed on 10 July, the research “Chronic Disease Awareness: Combating the world's fastest-rising obesity rates in Asia Pacific”, reveals that Asia Pacific region stands at a critical health juncture with rising obesity rates.
The APAC region now has the largest population of individuals living overweight or with obesity. Approximately 1bn people, or two in every five adults, is currently affected.
These health statistics are driving a need for change in how employers, insurers, and policymakers approach healthcare and benefits. For employers navigating the complex landscape of employee benefits in Asia Pacific, understanding this shift is essential.
Despite the fact that obesity is rising at a rapid pace in APAC, in most markets it is still viewed primarily as a lifestyle factor as opposed to a chronic disease requiring medical intervention. This perception has created many challenges. Most health insurance plans do not cover anti-obesity medications, treatments or surgeries, unless prescribed to address co-morbid conditions.
Public funding to prioritise obesity in national health strategies is limited and clinical inertia persists, with many healthcare providers trained to recommend diet and exercise, relegating medical treatment and medication to a last resort.
While insurers rarely pay claims for obesity, they do pay for the health conditions that are driven by metabolic conditions. The financial impact is substantial and far-reaching, manifesting not in the treatment costs of obesity, but in the cascade of chronic conditions and loss of productivity that follow.
People living with obesity face two to four times higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Beyond these well-known associations, obesity is also linked to sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, fatty liver disease, and several cancers. These conditions result in longer hospital stays, higher pharmaceutical use, and earlier onset of chronic claims in working-age populations.
MAXIS GBN Chief Health & Wellness Officer Dr Leena Johns said, “Our claims data paints a unique picture of emerging health risks for the Asia Pacific region, beginning with an often-overlooked problem: Asian – and particularly South Asian – people are at risk of metabolic disease developing earlier and at lower body mass index (BMI) thresholds than their Western counterparts, driven in part by a greater propensity for abdominal visceral fat and insulin resistance.