OBJECTIVES: Obesity is becoming to be treated like a worldwide epidemic. In Poland about 10.6% employees are obese. The objective of the studies was to estimate the indirect costs of obesity among Polish society. METHODS: Human Capital Approach method was used in costs quantifying. Data were collected from obese Polish employees. Work Productivity and Activity Impairment General Health questionnaire was used to estimate absenteeism and presenteeism in obese population. Indirect cost for general population was calculated on the basis of gross value added per employee in 2008. Central Statistical Office (GUS) data were used to identify obese epidemiology in employed population. Values are presented in Euro (exchange rate: 1 EUR=4.10 PLN). RESULTS: Data from 96 people were analyzed (mean age=41.7 years, 34.4% men, average BMI=34.2 kg/m2). Overall work impairment due to health problems in questioned population was estimated at 36.3%, with 11.8% of work time missed due to health problems. Taking into consideration that based on GUS data near 1.5 million employees are obese total indirect costs of obesity in Poland in the year 2008 were estimated at €10,5 billion representing 0.9% of gross domestic product. Absenteeism costs accounted for less than 1/3 of this costs (€3.4 billion) while pressenteism costs were estimated at amount of €7.0 billion. We didn’t find any correlation between BMI score and work impairment due to health problems (Pearson r=0,15). CONCLUSIONS: Previously estimated direct medical costs of obesity (without obesity related diseases) covered by public payer were quantified at 4 million EUR in the year 2008. We’ve found that indirect costs of lost productivity due to obesity are substantial to polish economy. However we conclude that not obesity itself but obesity related diseases generate most of indirect costs.