OBJECTIVES: The high prevalence of obesity and overweight leads to frequent use of health care resources. Studies aimed at assessment of damages caused by this medico-social problem are seen as very important at last years. The main aim of this study was to assess burden of obesity and overweight in Russia taking as an example three main social diseases: stroke, heart attack, and diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Available evidence on assessment of costs of management and treatment of obese and overweight patients and its relation to the disorders selected were analyzed. To measure costs of obesity and overweight for the state budget were used “cost of illness” analysis with consideration of risks of stroke, heart attack, and diabetes mellitus in the population (G. Oster et al, 2000). Taking into account specific features of cost assessment and based on publically available data were developed separate models to calculate cost of illness for each selected diseases. Medical resources included hospital stays, outpatient visits, ambulance service and rehabilitation. RESULTS: Obesity-related and overweight-related expenses incurred by the state for treatment and management of patients were amounted to 10.2 billion rubles ($ 190.5 million) for stroke, 7.6 billion rubles ($ 141.9 million) for heart attack and 346.3 billion rubles ($ 6.5 billion) for diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and overweight associated with significant economic burden on Russia’s health care system. There is a striking direct relationship between the cost of care on stroke, heart attack, diabetes mellitus and obesity and overweight that leading to increasing significant economic and social losses.