Certain human behaviors have resulted in adverse health conditions. In particular, inadequate physical activity and nutrition has to an increasingly obese world. The objective of this paper will be to describe the current circumstance of the worldwide obesity epidemic and its adverse effects on contingencies that actuaries deal with, especially premature mortality and increased morbidity, with resulting higher health care costs.  

It will synthesize the results of the abundant recent studies regarding the impact of obesity on these contingencies and costs, including what some researchers have observed as being the so-called obesity paradox, where it has been hypothesized that the existence of obesity may provide protection against the effects of an adverse medical condition and at older ages.