The four-billion bill: How does obesity cost the Kuwaiti economy?

Obesity in Kuwait is no longer just a health issue related to weight and appearance; it has become an economic and social burden with a measurable cost. A recent scientific study published in the journal PLOS ONE in March 2026 estimated that the economic and social cost of obesity in Kuwait reached approximately 4.29 billion dinars in 2024, while the cost from the government’s perspective alone was about 3.92 billion dinars. This figure equals roughly 1.3 times the size of the government’s health expenditure that year.

However, behind these billions lie more striking figures: the study estimated that obesity was associated with approximately 2.07 million disease cases and 961 premature deaths within a single year. These numbers reveal that the issue is not merely about the number of people suffering from excess weight, but also about the chronic diseases it generates, as well as the losses in life years and productivity.

The most striking paradox in the study is that treating obesity itself is not the largest part of the bill. Direct costs for treating obesity amounted to only about 31.1 million dinars, while the majority of the costs were directed toward treating associated diseases. The study indicates that approximately 90.6% of the economic burden stems from diseases accompanying obesity.

Type 2 diabetes tops these costs at approximately 1.23 billion dinars, followed by fatty liver disease at about 1.04 billion dinars. Thus, obesity transforms from an individual health condition into a long chain of expenses borne by families, the healthcare system, and the national economy.

Data from the International Obesity TaskForce underscore the scale of the spread: according to 2024 data, the obesity rate among adults in Kuwait is approximately 33.4%, while the combined rate of overweight and obesity reaches about 75.2%. This means the problem is not confined to a small group that can be addressed through limited treatment programs; rather, it has become a widespread phenomenon linked to lifestyle, diet, physical activity, and the environment in which people live.

The book Obesity: Pathophysiology, Prevention, and Treatment notes that obesity is a multifactorial phenomenon, involving an interplay of dietary habits, physical activity, and environmental, social, and economic factors. Therefore, treating it as merely a matter of personal will simplifies the problem more than it should.

If Kuwait is paying billions due to obesity-related diseases, the key question should not be: How much do we spend on treating obesity? But rather: How much can we save if we succeed in preventing a portion of it?

The Kuwaiti study offers an important answer; its models suggest that reducing the prevalence of obesity and associated diseases by 20% could lead to a 28% reduction in the total social cost.

This means that combating obesity is not solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. Schools, families, restaurants, food advertising, sports, and the design of public spaces are all parts of the equation.

Obesity in Kuwait is no longer just a number in a health report; it has become an annual bill exceeding four billion dinars. If part of it can be reduced through prevention, then investing in lifestyle changes may be one of the investments that yields returns for Kuwait that may not appear in today’s budget but will clearly show up in tomorrow’s bill.