Obesity

The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problems associated with obesity. Dietary changes, increased physical activity and behavior changes can help you lose weight. Prescription medications and weight-loss procedures are additional options for treating obesity.

Obesity is a progressive chronic disease, similar to diabetes or high blood pressure, which is characterized by abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Population health studies measure the prevalence of obesity using a crude measure called the Body Mass Index (BMI). Although this measure is helpful for population health surveillance, it is not a tool that can be used to clinically diagnose people with obesity. Obesity should be diagnosed by a qualified health professional using additional clinical tests and measures. Based on existing population surveillance studies, the prevalence of obesity in Canada has increased significantly over the past three decades. According to the 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey, over 5 million adults have obesity and according to the 2015 Canadian Health Measures Survey, 30% or more than one in three adults in Canada has obesity and may require medical support to manage their disease. Many organizations including the Obesity Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization now consider obesity to be a chronic disease. As a leading cause of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, cancer and other important health problems, obesity can have serious impacts on those who live with it. It is estimated that one in 10 premature deaths among Canadian adults age 20 to 64 is directly attributable to obesity.