The simple fact is chronic health problems are often expensive. Consider these statistics:

People with diagnosed diabetes have an average of $6,649 in medical costs per year that are attributed to the disease — about 2.3 times more than they would incur without diabetes.

Obese Americans spend 36 percent more on health care and 77 percent more on medication than those who weigh less.

Heart attacks and stroke cost the U.S. more than $312 billion a year in medical expenses and lost productivity, with individuals paying in the form of medical bills and lost wages.

In fact, two-thirds of American adults today are either overweight or obese, which increases the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many types of cancer. These are serious conditions that require ongoing medical care and medications.

Smoking, the leading cause of preventable death and disease, costs men an average of $20,893 more in medical costs and women an average of $23,142 more.

While some health issues you may face during your lifetime are beyond your control, the conditions mentioned are often linked with lifestyle choices, such as poor diet and lack of exercise.