Most obese province in Canada 2023

In 2023, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador were the provinces with the highest prevalence of obesity among adults in Canada. At that time, around 41 percent of adults in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador were considered obese. However, Ontario was the province with the highest total number of obese adults with over 3.5 million adults suffering from obesity in 2023.

What percentage of Canadians are obese?

Obesity among adults in Canada has increased in recent years reaching a high of 30 percent in 2023, compared to a prevalence of around 26 percent in 2015. That means in 2023, around nine million people in Canada were obese while 10.62 million were considered overweight. There is not a huge difference in the prevalence of obesity among men and women in Canada, however, men in Canada are much more likely to be considered overweight than women. Being overweight or obese can increase a person’s chances of developing a number of health conditions including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and breathing problems such as asthma.

Overweight and obesity among adolescents

Overweight and obesity has also increased among adolescents in Canada in recent years. In 2022, around 30 percent of adolescents in Canada aged 12 to 17 years were considered overweight or obese, compared to 19 percent in the year 2005. Male adolescents in Canada are much more likely to be overweight or obese than their female counterparts. In 2022, around 33 percent of adolescent males in Canada were overweight or obese compared to 27 percent of female adolescents. The provinces with the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents are New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island.

Percentage of Canadian adults who were obese in 2023, by province

Characteristic	Percentage of adults who were obese
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Release date

October 2024

More information

Region

Canada

Survey time period

2023

Age group

18 years and older

Supplementary notes

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Canada guidelines, the index for body weight classification for the population aged 18 and older is: less than 18.50 (underweight); 18.50 to 24.99 (normal weight); 25.00 to 29.99 (overweight); 30.00 to 34.99 (obese, class I); 35.00 to 39.99 (obese, class II); 40.00 or greater (obese, class III). The population aged 12 to 17 is classified as "severely obese", "obese", or "overweight" according to age and sex specific cut-off points defined by the World Health Organization.

A systematic review of the literature concluded that the use of self-reported data among adults underestimates weight and overestimates height, resulting in lower estimates of obesity than those obtained from measured data. Using data from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) subsample, where both measured and self-reported height and weight were collected, BMI correction equations have been developed. This table presents obesity estimates adjusted using these equations. Adapted from Statistics Canada, 150.statcan.gc.ca, 2023. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

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