WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The 35 million under-nourished Americans cost the United States 90 billion dollars worth of lost annual economic output, according to a study.

"The nation pays far more by letting hunger exist than it would if our leaders took steps to eliminate it," said Larry Brown of the Harvard School of Public Health, which took part in the study.

Lost productivity and higher costs of medical care arise from anxiety, absenteeism and loss of mental function caused by not eating, according to the study.

The study said hunger costs each American 300 dollars per year, and 22,000 dollars over a lifetime. It noted among the economic costs the donations people make to soup kitchens for the hungry.

According to the study, "It would cost 12 billion dollars over current spending for Congress to expand existing programs to nearly end hunger," it said.

"This is about 13 percent of what our country is now paying for tolerating hunger," it said.

The study was sponsored by the Sodexho Foundation, the charitable arm of Sodexho, a French-based multinational that provides meals and other services to institutions and their employees.