The Economics of Overweight and Obesity - Funding Obesity Research

During the last four decades, considerable progress has been made in identifying the causes of obesity and developing treatments. Despite the enhanced understanding of the origins of obesity, increasing numbers of Americans continue to become overweight and obese. The AOA, along with myriad medical professional organizations and advocacy groups, contends that public funding for obesity research is woefully inadequate in view of the size and scope of this public health problem. In addition to insufficient NIH funding for obesity research, the AOA cites inequities in research grants awarded by the NIH—although more grants have been awarded to obesity research than in past years, obesity still receives a disproportionately small share of grant funding.

Table 7.3 shows NIH funding for a variety of diseases and research areas for fiscal year 2003 and 2004 as well as estimates for 2005 and 2006. Funding for obesity research increased $18 million from fiscal year 2004 to fiscal year 2005 but is not anticipated to increase for fiscal year 2006. However, the 2006 allocation for obesity research is 16% greater than the amount provided in 2003 and is expected to be comparable to the allocation for heart disease.