Obesity Puts a Strain on the Canadian Health Care System

In the last 25 years, the number of obese Canadians has tripled, bringing about additional strain on the country’s already fraught health-care system. At this rate, more than 1 in 5 Canadians will suffer from obesity in the near future. 

Statistics Canada has been keeping a record on obesity by means of surveys conducted over the last 26 years. The data reveals a 12% increase in the last 25 years.

Percentage of Obese Canadians

1985                6%

2011                18%

Yoni Freedhoff, medical director of the Bariatric Institute in Ottawa, stated “A flood of cheap, attractively packaged empty calories has washed over the grocery shelves and oversized plates of the nation in that time. I do not believe we’ve experienced an epidemic loss of willpower since 1980… I think the world around us has changed.”

Obesity Related Health Conditions

General health issues associated with obesity can include sleep apnea, gout, and osteoarthritis.  The top 5 obesity-related health conditions are:

• Heart disease and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Cancer
• Gallbladder disease and gallstones

Canadians Getting More Health Conscious

The Canadian government has begun to tackle the obesity problem by requiring schools to offer healthier food choices in school cafeterias, and limiting the supply of junk foods. Food labels and calorie counts are being made available in stores and in restaurants everywhere in Canada. Although we won’t see the effects from these efforts for a number of years, it is nevertheless a good start toward better nutrition.  In the meantime, more and more people suffering from health conditions due to obesity are requiring medical treatments, putting the annual costs for health care between $4.6 and $7.1 billion.

When the public health care system is overwhelmed you're looking at longer wait times in hospitals and for certain medical treatments as well. Private health insurance can make a difference and offer you more options in terms of the type of health care you receive. When it comes down to it....it pays to have options!