Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Statistics and Consequences of Obesity in Canada

  • One in three canadian children is overweight or obese.
  • Between 1978 and 2004, the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among those aged two to 17 years nearly doubled from 15 percent to 26 percent.
  • Depending on the number of chronic obesity-linked diseases that are included in the estimate, the Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that the annual Canada-wide costs of obesity are between $4.6 billion and $7.1 billion.
  • Immediate and long-term consequences of childhood obesity include: physical (e.g. metabolic, pulmonary, gastroenterological, musculoskeletal disorders/issues), emotional (e.g. low-self esteem, depression) and social issues (stigmatization, bullying, social marginalization, discrimination, risk behaviours).
Women and Children
Primary Prevention of Childhood Obesity
Background Information