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A brand new examine revealed in theCanadian Medical Affiliation Journal discovered weight problems charges based mostly on physique mass index (BMI) elevated sooner within the 4 years after the beginning of the pandemic than within the earlier 11 years, particularly in youthful adults.
“Compared with the average increase during the 11 years before the pandemic, the prevalence of obesity [as measured by BMI] increased at a greater rate during the four years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023), suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health restrictions may have adversely affected obesity prevalence in Canada,” writes Dr. Laura Anderson, affiliate professor, Division of Well being Analysis Strategies, Proof and Affect and co-director of the Heart for Well being Economics and Coverage Evaluation (CHEPA), McMaster College, Hamilton, Ontario, with co-authors.
Weight problems is a threat issue for a variety of illnesses and might negatively have an effect on an individual’s well being and well-being in addition to improve the burden on the well being care system. Charges in Canada have been growing earlier than the pandemic, with larger charges of extra extreme weight problems.
The massive examine, which included knowledge on 746,250 adults aged 18 and older, checked out developments in BMI over 15 years, from January 2009 to March 2020 and from April 2020 to December 2023. Researchers discovered that BMI-defined weight problems charges elevated from 25% in 2009 to 33% in 2022, an absolute improve of about 8%.
After the pandemic began, weight problems elevated by simply over 1 share level a yr, about twice the pre-pandemic fee of improve. As effectively, weight problems charges in women and men narrowed, with a 9% improve in weight problems in females in contrast with a 7% improve in males. Weight problems charges have been highest in individuals who have been white or Black.
“We observed important subgroup differences, with several groups that had a lower historical prevalence of obesity showing a substantial increase during the pandemic, including females and young adults. This raises concerns about potential adverse long-term consequences,” write the authors.
The authors noticed a small improve in underweight adults through the examine interval and observe that being underweight can have damaging well being results. They warning that efforts to deal with rising charges of weight problems ought to think about the unintended results of weight management messaging on folks with consuming problems.
Funding in analysis and approaches to weight problems prevention and therapy are wanted and ought to be a precedence for funders and policy-makers.
Extra data:
Traits in weight problems outlined by physique mass index amongst adults earlier than and through the COVID-19 pandemic: a repeated cross-sectional examine of the 2009–2023 Canadian Neighborhood Well being Surveys, Canadian Medical Affiliation Journal (2025). DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.241421
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Canadian Medical Affiliation Journal
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Weight problems charges in Canada elevated after begin of COVID-19 pandemic (2025, July 14)
retrieved 14 July 2025
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