CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 20% WEIGHT REDUCTION IN MILITARY HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA USING THE VALUE OF WEIGHT LOSS SIMULATION MODEL
Author(s)
Turki Alharbi, Dr1, Yasser Albarkah, Dr2, Ibtisam H. Alharbi, Dr3, Ayla M. Tourkmani, Dr4, Samia Bokhari, Dr5, Hanan Taib, Dr4, HADEEL ABDULLAH ALBALAWI, PhD4, Abdullah Badawi, Dr4, Wael Alzahrani, Dr4, Ibrahim Alnasser, Dr5, Mohammed Alzahrani, Dr2.
1Ministry of Defense Health Services (MOD-HS), Riaydh, Saudi Arabia, 2Ministry of Defense Health Services (MOD-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 3Pharmacist, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 4Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 5King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
1Ministry of Defense Health Services (MOD-HS), Riaydh, Saudi Arabia, 2Ministry of Defense Health Services (MOD-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 3Pharmacist, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 4Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 5King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVES: Obesity is a chronic, progressive disease associated with morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. To estimate the benefits of improved weight management in military settings, the Value of Weight Loss simulation tool was localized for Military Healthcare Institutions, including King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital (KFAFH) and Prince Sultan Military Medical City (PSMMC). The objective was to estimate the clinical and economic impact of weight reduction among Military Healthcare Institution cohorts
METHODS: The adapted VOWL tool retained its original cohort-based simulation framework while integrating KFAFH- and PSMMC-specific demographic, epidemiological, and cost inputs. Three cohorts (KFAFH with and without diabetes, and PSMMC with diabetes) were modelled to evaluate weight change (−20% to +20%) over 1-10 years in adults aged 20-70 years with BMI 27-50 kg/m². Costs were estimated from a public healthcare perspective using micro-costing studies and physician surveys, validated with military institutions. Outcomes included changes in relative risk in T2D, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, CKD, asthma, and CVD-related conditions and their associated direct medical costs
RESULTS: For the illustration scenario, the KFAFH non-diabetes cohort (27,607 adults with BMI 30-50 kg/m2) was applied to a 20% weight reduction. Cumulative cost savings over 5 years reached SAR77,541,461, driven by CVD-related conditions (SAR37,859,020), followed by T2D (SAR26,168,764), osteoarthritis (SAR4,276,349), sleep apnea (SAR4,215,302), and asthma (SAR1,666,314). Relative risk reductions were estimated at 81% for sleep apnea, 48.6% for T2D, 28% for hypertension, 27.2% for asthma, 22.6% for osteoarthritis, 20.3% for dyslipidemia, 9.9% for atrial fibrillation, 8.3% for CKD, 7.6% for heart failure, and 0.7% for unstable angina and MI
CONCLUSIONS: 20% weight reduction in adults with obesity in Military Healthcare Institutions is projected to substantially lower ORC incidence and costs over five years. These results support integrating effective weight management into health policies aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
METHODS: The adapted VOWL tool retained its original cohort-based simulation framework while integrating KFAFH- and PSMMC-specific demographic, epidemiological, and cost inputs. Three cohorts (KFAFH with and without diabetes, and PSMMC with diabetes) were modelled to evaluate weight change (−20% to +20%) over 1-10 years in adults aged 20-70 years with BMI 27-50 kg/m². Costs were estimated from a public healthcare perspective using micro-costing studies and physician surveys, validated with military institutions. Outcomes included changes in relative risk in T2D, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, CKD, asthma, and CVD-related conditions and their associated direct medical costs
RESULTS: For the illustration scenario, the KFAFH non-diabetes cohort (27,607 adults with BMI 30-50 kg/m2) was applied to a 20% weight reduction. Cumulative cost savings over 5 years reached SAR77,541,461, driven by CVD-related conditions (SAR37,859,020), followed by T2D (SAR26,168,764), osteoarthritis (SAR4,276,349), sleep apnea (SAR4,215,302), and asthma (SAR1,666,314). Relative risk reductions were estimated at 81% for sleep apnea, 48.6% for T2D, 28% for hypertension, 27.2% for asthma, 22.6% for osteoarthritis, 20.3% for dyslipidemia, 9.9% for atrial fibrillation, 8.3% for CKD, 7.6% for heart failure, and 0.7% for unstable angina and MI
CONCLUSIONS: 20% weight reduction in adults with obesity in Military Healthcare Institutions is projected to substantially lower ORC incidence and costs over five years. These results support integrating effective weight management into health policies aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
EE26
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Health Technology Assessment, Real World Data & Information Systems
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
Cardiovascular Disorders (including MI, Stroke, Circulatory), Diabetes/Endocrine/Metabolic Disorders (including obesity), Gastrointestinal Disorders, Geriatrics