July 14, 2025
RED FM News Desk
A new study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) reveals that nearly one-third of Canadians are now obese, with a significant increase in weight gain occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research found that 32.7 percent of Canadians (10.6 million people) were obese in 2023, an increase of approximately eight percentage points since 2009. Notably, researchers observed a steeper rise in obesity during the pandemic period.
“The pandemic had such a profound impact on our daily lives … including changes in our eating behaviors and access to healthy foods,” said Laura Anderson, lead author of the study and associate professor in health, research methods, evidence, and impact at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
Obesity is a medical condition that elevates the risk of serious health issues such as stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. With frequent lockdowns forcing people to remain at home during the pandemic, researchers aimed to understand how this affected people’s weight.
To conduct the study, Anderson and her team analyzed self-reported body mass index (BMI) data from 746,250 Canadians aged 18 years or older, collected between 2009 and 2023. The researchers adhered to the World Health Organization’s definition of obesity, classifying individuals with a BMI equal to or higher than 30 as obese.
Young Adults and Women Most Affected
The 15-year study period and the pandemic saw the greatest increase in obesity among young adults between the ages of 18 and 39.
Specifically, the research indicated an increasing number of women became severely obese, defined by the authors as having a BMI of 40 or higher. While the study did not delve into the underlying reasons for this trend, Anderson suggests it could be attributed to “women having increased stress and the burden of other caregiving duties during the pandemic.”
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