Obesity and National Healthcare Costs, Essay Example

The Hypothesis

“The annual healthcare cost of obesity in the US has doubled in less than a decade and may be as high as 147 billion dollars a year says new government-sponsored research.” (Obesity Healthcare Costs)

P = 68% of adults in the U.S. are overweight (WIN Statistics)

Ho:  “In 1998 the medical costs of obesity in the US were estimated at around 78.5 billion dollars a year, half of which was financed by Medicare and Medicaid (government health insurance for seniors and families on low incomes).” (Obesity Healthcare Costs)

Ha: “The annual healthcare costs of obesity could be as high as 147 billion dollars for 2008.” (Obesity Healthcare Costs)

The ? Level

A = 5%

The Test Statistic 

z = p?p0po(1?po)n =2

The Rejection Region

147 billion > 78.5 billion

The Conclusion 

Ho is not rejected.

Works Cited

“Obesity Healthcare Costs US 147 Billion Dollars A Year, New Study.” Medical News Today: Health News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2010. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158948.php>.

“WIN – Statistics.” Welcome to WIN – The Weight-control Information Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2010. <http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm>.