The cost of obesity in Missouri: $1.9 billion now, $8.2 billion in 2018

America's Health Rankings places the direct medical cost of obesity to Missourians at $1.9 billion per year, or about $754 for each adult Missourian.

On average, that's $450 per year per Missouri adult.

It's also the second highest per-capita cost of any state in the nation--behind only West Virginia at $479 per year per adult.

With current projected rates of the increase in obesity, by 2018 obesity will cost Missourians  $8.2 billion in direct medical costs every year--that's $1824 per year for every adult in Missouri.

And those calculations don't even include the indirect costs of the health problems resulting from obesity--everything missed days at work, lower productivity levels, people dropping out of the work force due to ill health, and many others--which add up to about the same amount again.

As of 2009, Missouri is 13th highest state in adult obesity and 23rd highest in overweight youths (ages 10-17).