More than two-thirds of Canadian adults now have a body mass index classified as overweight or obese, according to new data from Statistics Canada that shows a sharp increase since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Canadian Health Measures Survey found 68% of adults aged 18 to 79 were overweight or had obesity during 2022 to 2024, up from 60% in the period from 2016 to 2019, according to Statistics Canada. The prevalence of obesity alone climbed from 25% to 33% over the same period.
Young adults saw the most dramatic increase, according to the data. Among males aged 18 to 39, obesity rates jumped from 22% to 33%, while among females in the same age group, rates rose from 17% to 29%.
“This is in line with research suggesting that pandemic-related changes in lifestyle, including reduced physical activity and increased sedentary behaviour, may have contributed to higher obesity levels in adults,” according to Statistics Canada.
Gender and age patterns
The survey found obesity affected 35% of males and 32% of females during the 2022 to 2024 period, according to the agency. The highest rates appeared among adults aged 40 to 59, with 38% of males and 35% of females classified as obese.
The proportion of adults in the normal BMI category declined significantly. Among males, the normal weight category fell from 34% to 26%, while among females it dropped from 46% to 38%, according to the data.
Statistics Canada noted that nearly three in four males (74%) and almost two in three females (62%) now have a BMI associated with increased health risks.
Abdominal obesity concerns
Nearly half of adults (49%) had a waist circumference above the threshold for abdominal obesity during 2022 to 2024, according to the survey. The condition was more common among females (55%) than males (42%).
Abdominal obesity increased markedly among men, rising 10 percentage points from the 2016 to 2019 period, according to Statistics Canada. Among males aged 60 to 79, 55% exceeded the waist circumference threshold, compared with 31% of those aged 18 to 39.
The agency noted that waist circumference can reveal weight-related health risks not always reflected by BMI alone. Among adults classified in the normal weight range, 11% of females had a high waist circumference, while almost no males (less than 1%) did, according to the data.
Youth obesity stable but concerning
Among children and youth aged 5 to 17, nearly one in three (31%) was classified in the overweight or obesity range, according to Statistics Canada. While this proportion has not changed significantly over time, 19% were overweight and 11% were obese during the 2022 to 2024 period.
Prevalence increased with age among male children and youth. Among males aged 12 to 17, 15% were classified as obese, compared with 9% of females in the same age group, according to the survey.
“Monitoring overweight and obesity from early childhood is important because excess weight is linked to physical and mental health challenges during childhood and often persists into adulthood,” according to Statistics Canada.
Health implications for employers
Overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity are linked to higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and certain cancers, according to the agency.
The Canadian Health Measures Survey collected data from November 2022 to December 2024 and included direct measures of height, weight and waist circumference from persons aged 1 to 79 years living in the Canadian provinces. The survey excludes residents of the territories, reserves, Indigenous settlements, Canadian Forces members, institutionalized populations and certain remote regions, representing approximately 3% of the target population, according to Statistics Canada.
