If you need yet another reason to drop those pounds, studies suggest that you may pay more to weigh more. A study published in Obesity shows that obese (30 or more pounds overweight) men and women in their 20s can expect lifetime medical bills $5,000-$21,000 higher than those at normal weight. Meanwhile, “extremely” obese (70 or more pounds overweight) people in their 20s can expect lifetime medical bills $15,000-$29,000 higher . These increased costs also take in to account the shorter life expectancies for heavy people.

Roughly one-third of the nation is now considered obese. As such, millions are at increased risk for dangerous health concerns, including: type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. It appears that these mounting health costs are damaging the American workforce, as well. “We have prior work that shows that obese people miss more days of work and have a lower quality of life,” says Eric Finkelstein, the study’s lead researcher. And, Finkelstein believes that companies may not save on health care expenses by offering expensive obesity treatments (like bariatric surgery), due to the huge number of workers switching jobs. “Any cost savings from these treatments may be realized by another company,” says Finkelstein.

Indeed, many obesity-related diseases occur as people age, especially when they’re on Medicare. Therefore, the U.S. Government is very interested in fighting the obesity epidemic. And the workplace is becoming the center of the obesity fight. For instance, many experts recommend that companies’ on-site cafeterias and vending machines serve foods lower in fats and sugar. Companies should also consider subsidizing gym memberships, or even offering employees financial incentives for losing weight.

Roland Sturm, who is both a senior economist and an obesity researcher, advocates low-tech changes in the workplace. These include clean, painted and accessible staircases, and easy pedestrian and bicycle access. However, he says that this may not be so simple, as “no glossy brochure from human resources advertising the benefits of using stairs can compete with the security department’s alarmed stairwell locks on the ground floor.” He continues: “It doesn’t take much to discourage somebody from taking the staircase or trying to bike to work.”