Obesity in Canada
One in four adult Canadians and one in 10 children are clinically obese, meaning six million Canadians living with obesity require immediate support in managing and controlling their excess weight. As a leading cause of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and cancer, the condition impacts those who have obesity, their families, employers, neighbours, health practitioners and governments.
The impact of bias and discrimination against people with obesity is comparable to that of racial discrimination, and it’s just as common. Weight bias translates into significant inequities in employment, health, health care and education, often due to widespread negative stereotypes that persons with obesity are lazy, unmotivated or lacking in self‐discipline.
A 2010 report estimated that direct costs of overweight and obesity represented $6 billion – 4.1 % of Canada’s total health care budget. However, this estimate only accounts for health care costs related to obesity, and does not account for productivity loss, reductions in tax revenues or psychosocial costs.
Comprehensive public, private and non-governmental initiatives on obesity prevention and treatment are urgently needed in order to reverse this epidemic.
Key Obesity Statistics
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