The US Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) suggested behavioral counseling interventions for overweight/obese individuals with cardiovascular risk factors appear to be cost effective, according to a recent study.

Investigators simulated the 25-year cost-effectiveness of the recommendations, using 2005-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to estimate the baseline population. They calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs)—measured in cost/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY)—to assess the intervention’s value. Among the results:

• 98 million US adults would be eligible for the intervention.
• The intervention’s ICER would be nearly $14,000/QALY.
• Cost-effectiveness ranged from a cost savings of ~$300 per capita for those who were obese with impaired fasting glucose, hypertension, and dyslipidemia to a cost of ~$103,000/QALY in overweight people without these conditions.

The authors concluded that prioritizing based on risk level would lead to larger total health gains per dollar spent.