1. Prevention can improve health and longevity. Every year, between 12 000 and 85 000 deaths from chronic diseases can be avoided through different prevention programmes, while between 15 000 and 120 000 years of life in good health would be gained.

Health Outcomes at the Population Level (Average Effect per Year)

Underlying data and charts for all the graphics below are also available in Excel

2. How much does prevention cost? How much does it save? Most prevention programmes would cost less than JPY 20 bn every year, with worksite programmes costing around JPY 50 bn and individual counselling by family doctors costing up to JPY 100 bn. Most prevention programmes will cut health expenditures for chronic diseases, but only by a relatively small margin (up to JPY 15 bn. per year).

Economic Assessment of the Interventions at the Population Level (Average Effect per Year)

3. Is prevention cost-effective? Prevention can improve health at a lower cost than many treatments offered today by OECD health systems. In Japan, all of the prevention programmes examined will be cost-effective in the long run – relative to the internationally accepted standard of around JPY 4 m per year of life gained in good health. However, some programmes will take a longer time to produce their health effects and therefore will be less cost-effective in the short run.

Cost per life year gained in good health of interventions to tackle obesity