More than just kilos
The benefits of losing weight, in numbers
Losing weight gives you more than a lower number on the scale. It shows up in what you spend on food, in your healthcare costs and in the number of days you call in sick. Here is what peer-reviewed research shows, and what it could mean for you.
Groceries
Spending less on food
Less appetite for calorie-dense, processed food shows up on the receipt straight away. Researchers at Cornell linked a panel of 150,000 US households to their actual purchases. In the first six months, grocery spending was structurally lower, and spending on fast food and takeaway dropped even further.
less spending on groceries
less spending on fast food and takeaway
Hristakeva, Liaukonyte & Feler, Journal of Marketing Research, 2026 US panel of 150,000 households; the effect was measured in 2,602 households with a GLP-1 user against 2,602 comparable households.
Where the difference sits
The snacks go first
The decline is not spread evenly across the shopping basket. By far the largest drop is in savoury snacks, sweet bakery and cookies: exactly the products driven by cravings and habit. Yogurt is the only category that demonstrably rises.
- Crisps and savoury snacks: -10.1%
- Sweet bakery: -8.8%
- Fast food and takeaway: -8.0%
- Cookies: -6.5%
- Groceries overall: -5.3%
- Yogurt: +3.6%
Change in spending during the first six months
Vegetables, bread and meat drop too, just less sharply: people simply buy less food overall. Yogurt is the only category where the increase is large enough to be statistically significant.
Calculator
Work out what it saves you
Enter what you currently spend per month on groceries and on takeaway or eating out. The calculator applies the percentages from the study so you can see what that adds up to over a year.
Based on 5.3% lower spending on groceries and 8.0% lower spending on fast food and takeaway.
Estimated saving per month
€28
Per year
€331
Range from the study: €254 - €403
An estimate based on group averages from US research, not a personal guarantee. The researchers also found that spending returns to its previous level once people stop, which shows this is a long-term approach rather than a temporary fix.
Healthcare costs
Lower healthcare costs in the long run
Obesity is one of the most expensive chronic conditions in the Netherlands. Weight loss can lower your healthcare costs and is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Modelled estimate of total lifetime healthcare costs for a 40-year-old with severe obesity (BMI 35) in the Netherlands.
Work & productivity
Fewer sick days, more energy
People with obesity are on average 14 days a year more ill than colleagues at a healthy weight. Every sick day costs an employer €250 to €400. Losing weight improves your health, your energy levels and your enjoyment of work.
extra sick days per year with obesity
cost per sick day for employers
Hildebrandt et al., TSG, 2007 (n=1,284); Sazas, MKB Servicedesk, Centraal Beheer, 2024
Mental wellbeing
Better in your body, better in your head
Weight and mood are connected, and the connection runs both ways. A Leiden meta-analysis of 15 long-running studies covering almost 59,000 people found that obesity raises the likelihood of depression, and that depression in turn raises the likelihood of obesity. That is exactly why treatment here looks at more than the scale.
Luppino et al., Archives of General Psychiatry, 2010 Meta-analysis of 15 long-running studies (n=58,745). The association runs in both directions and says nothing about cause and effect for any individual.
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Most figures on this page come from peer-reviewed scientific research; a few cost estimates come from Dutch industry and absence-reporting sources. The spending research was conducted among US households. Individual results may vary. The savings mentioned are based on group averages and are not a personal guarantee. Always consult a doctor for medical advice.
Blog about medical weight loss
Read our articles about medical weight loss, lifestyle, nutrition, medication, obesity, exercise and healthy living.
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