Research suggests Canadian obesity levels at historic high

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Canadians are getting fatter and fatter, according to new research from the University of British Columbia. New research suggests that obesity levels are at an historic high.

“What we did is we mapped out the changes in obesity according to different provinces, territories, and years,” explains principal investigator Carolyn Gotay.

The study, and its obesity map, is the first comprehensive look at adult obesity rates in Canada since 1998.

“We found that obesity steadily rose.  However, there were considerable regional differences,” says the researcher.

The study found that BC is still one of the leanest provinces, despite a significant increase in the obesity rate here.  Currently, about a quarter of adult British Columbians are obese.  In the late 90s, the number was under 20 per cent.

“We’re doing better than average but still, for one-in-four people in our province to have all of the health implications that added weight confers is not acceptable,” adds Gotay. “I think there’s a lot of room for improvement.”

The maritimes and two of the territories have the country’s highest obesity rates, at over 30 per cent of the adult population.  The rate in Quebec is similar to what it is here in BC.

The study also discovered that the greatest increase in weight, across the country, occurred between the years 2000 and 2007.

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