Small weight losses by obese could save \'billions\'

Even small weight losses in obese people can generate big savings for the national health system, according to figures released Monday in an Italian study. A weight loss of seven kilos per obese patient could generate savings of about 400 euros per year, yielding total savings as high as 11 billion euros annually, a report by the Italian Society of Surgery for Obesity and Metabolic Diseases said. The society presented its findings during a press conference to illustrate the financial benefits o combatting obesity in addition to the steep declines in the incidence of diabetes it produces. If a patient is obese and diabetic, it can cause huge costs for the national health service, said Nicola Basso, a former president of the society. Medication use can be as much as 10 times higher for an obese patient than for one of average weight, he said.