Relationship between Health Costs and Inflammatory Profile in Public Health

The association between obesity and physical activity level is well established in the literature, as well as its consequences that lead to chronic noncommunicable diseases. In addition, it is also possible to obtain the immunometabolic mechanism that explains the pathway of associations between obesity, chronic noncommunicable diseases and the level of physical activity. It also seems clear that treating illnesses has a financial impact on healthcare systems around the world, so it seems important to assess the financial impact on the healthcare system of individuals with immunometabolic dysfunction.

This study aimed to assess whether there is a correlation between metabolic and inflammatory markers and healthcare costs according to body adiposity and habitual physical activity (HPA).

This is a cross-sectional study, where the sample includes men and women aged over 50. Participants underwent evaluations that included the following variables: i) immunometabolic markers, ii) healthcare costs, iii) obesity, iv) habitual physical activity, and v) history of personal illness. Statistical significance was set at values lower than 5% and the software used was BioEstat.

The correlation between metabolic and inflammatory markers and healthcare costs demonstrated a positive and significant relationship, adjusted for obesity and HPA, between glucose concentrations and exam costs (r = 0.343, p-value = 0.007) and total cost (r = 261; p-value = 0.043); HOMA index and cost of exams (r = 0.267; pvalue = 0.038); and IL-10 and cost of medical consultation (r = 0.297; p-value = 0.020).

Metabolic and inflammatory markers may be related to the costs of consultations and examinations, independent of obesity and HPA.