Obesity rates soar from the pandemic

If, at the start of the pandemic, several people rushed to buy sports equipment to move at home, a new study shows that obesity rates in Canada increased more quickly during this period than during the previous 11 years.

This is what a new published study notes (new window) today in the Canadian Medical Journalanalyzing data of more than 746,000 Canadians aged 18 and over.

The obesity rate in adults based on the body mass index (BMI) increased from 24.95 % in 2009 to 32.69 % in 2023, an increase of almost 8 % in fifteen years.

Before the pandemic, the obesity rate increased by approximately 0.5 % per year. Between 2020 and 2023, this pace doubled at 1 % annually.

For the main author of the study, the Dre Laura Anderson, it is obvious that the pandemic of COVID-19 and the public health restrictions had a negative effect on the prevalence of obesity in Canada.

There were a lot of changes during the pandemic that could contribute to this increase: telework, people were more sedentary, the sports centers were closed, people ate differently. Not to mention the stress and the rise in mental health problems, elements that can lead to weight gainsays this assistant professor in the department of health research methods, evidence and impacts of McMaster University, Ontario.

We must not forget loneliness, this is another factor that can exacerbate health problemsadds Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam, scientific director of the Obesity Canada organization.

The study also shows that women, who historically had a lower obesity rate than men, have caught up with this gap.

Before the pandemic, there was a difference of approximately 4 % between the prevalence of obesity in men and women. Now there is only 1.9 % difference between both sexes.

The obesity rate in women has increased by 8.6 % since 2009, compared to 6.93 % in men.

For Dr. Sockalingam, this data shows how much the pandemic exacerbated health inquisites. The pandemic put this iniquity in lighthe said, adding that we have also observed significant increases in Canadian blacks.

But the most important increase is observed in young adults aged 18 to 29. Since 2003, the obesity rate has almost doubled among young women, going from 13 to 22 %. In men in this age group, the rate has increased from 18 to 24 %.

The study authors note that GLP-1 agonists (eg Ozempic, Wegovy) used to treat diabetes and for weight loss were introduced in Canada during the study period. According to them, it should not be Not excluding the possibility that the use of these drugs could alleviate postpandemic trends.

Even if few people have access to GLP-1, these drugs may have tempered the increase. It could be even higher.

Studies show that, in some countries, the sharp increase associated with the pandemic period begins to fade. We do not yet see this trend in Canada, but we hope that it will go in this directionspecifies Dr. Anderson.

Evolution towards more severe obesity

Not only do Canadians gain more and more weight, but the proportion of adults who live with type 3 obesity (Morbid / BMI> 40) has doubled in the last 15 years.

About 13 % of Canadian adults now live with obesity considered severe or morbid (BMI> 35).

The COVVI-19 pandemic had a deep impact on the management of obesity. There was a training effect. Some people who had an excess weight progressed to a more severe level of obesityexplains Dr. Sockalingam.

This situation worries Dre Anderson, which recalls that severe obesity is associated with many health risks.

Moreover, according to the study, more than 40 % of persons suffering from obesity are also suffering from one or two chronic health problems; Between 5 and 10 % had 3 to 6 chronic diseases.

This has not only an impact on the health of the population, but also on the use of health careunderlines the Dr. Anderson.

Data difficult to ignore

Canadians have long ignored the problem of obesity in the country, says Dr. Sockalingam, who hopes that these new data will convince governments to act quickly to mitigate this health crisis.

To get there, the two experts say that you have to tackle the problem on several fronts and that it is necessary to improve access to various care, which may include psychological and behavioral interventions, medication, nutrition education and even bariatric surgery.

There are genetic, social, environmental factors. There is no magic wand.

It is more and more recognized that obesity is a complex disease and that individual actions are not sufficient, but stigma surrounding excess weight and obesity remains a problem, adds Dr. Sockalingam. Several health workers have contributed to this stigma. You have to find a way to re -engage in the health system the people who have experienced this stigmatization and who abandoned.

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