US EditionObesity rates in Canada increased faster during pandemic than in previous 11 years
CANADA, JUL 14 – Obesity prevalence rose from 25% to nearly 33% over 15 years, doubling its annual increase rate after COVID-19 began, with women and young adults most affected, researchers said.
- A study published July 14, 2025, found obesity rates in Canada increased more rapidly from 2020 to 2023, especially among younger adults and women.
- Researchers linked this accelerated increase to pandemic-related public health restrictions, stress, lifestyle changes, and caregiving burdens during COVID-19.
- The study examined BMI data from 746,250 adults from 2009 to 2023 and showed obesity rose from 25% to 33%, with the post-pandemic annual increase twice the previous rate.
- Associate professor Laura Anderson noted that the rate at which obesity became more common accelerated in the four years following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the trend observed over the previous eleven years.
- Experts emphasize urgent investment in health policies and support programs to address obesity's growing prevalence and its long-term health impacts in Canada.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Canadian Obesity Levels Soared During COVID-19 Pandemic: Study
Nearly one-third of Canadians are now classified as obese, a condition that saw a sharp increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study suggests. The rate of obesity in Canada rose more rapidly in the four years following the onset of the pandemic than in the previous 11 years, particularly among younger adults, according to the findings of a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) this week. Researchers classif…
Canadian obesity trends accelerated after the start of COVID-19 pandemic
Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect obesity rates in Canada? A new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241421 found obesity rates based on body mass index (BMI) increased faster in the 4 years after the start of the pandemic than in the previous 11 years, especially in younger adults.
Obesity rates increased more rapidly during the pandemic than in the previous 11 years, according to a study by the Canadian Medical Journal.
Child and adolescent obesity
The prevalence of child and adolescent obesity has plateaued at high levels in most high-income countries and is increasing in many low-income and middle-income countries. Obesity arises when a mix of genetic and epigenetic factors, behavioural risk patterns and broader environmental and sociocultural influences affect the two body weight regulation systems: energy homeostasis, including leptin and gastrointestinal tract signals, operating predo…
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