The cost of obesity in the US is $147bn each year, according to a new study by RTI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The study found that obesity-related diseases were responsible for almost 10% of the country’s healthcare spending.

Obese people spend 42% more on medical care than people with normal weight, according to the ‘Annual Medical Spending Attributable to Obesity: Payer- and Service-Specific Estimates’ study.

The CDC has issued its first set of recommendations to help tackle the problem of obesity through policies that promote healthy eating and physical activity.