Over Half of Albertans Are Overweight or Obese: Report

A new report looking at overweight and obesity levels in Alberta has people talking.

The Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) released an in-depth look at the province’s weight on Wednesday, reporting that nearly six out of 10 Albertans are either overweight or obese. This representation is 3.7 per cent higher than the national average, as HQCA says five out of 10 Canadians are overweight or obese.

“The rise in obesity is a worldwide public health issue, and is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and more frequent use of healthcare services, and so the HQCA decided to explore this issue further,” says Dr. Tony Fields, Board Chair for the HQCA.

HQCA conducted the survey in 2014, asking about adult Albertans’ use and satisfaction with healthcare services. Part of this survey involved self-reported heights and weights to calculate their body mass index (BMI). From the 4,424 adults surveyed, the estimated prevalence of Albertans who are overweight was 35.2 per cent, while 23.9 per cent were obese.

Groups with the highest levels of being overweight and obese were men, people aged 45-64, and those in the northern part of Alberta.

“Overweight and obesity is associated with an increased risk of multiple chronic conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and chronic pain,” said HQCA. “In addition, overweight and obese individuals reported using the healthcare system for more serious and ongoing issues. They also reported having a lower quality of life.”

Back in 2014, obesity data released by Statistics Canada caused Kelowna residents to crow about being “the fittest city in Canada” thanks to the lowest obesity level in the country. B.C. in all had the lowest level of obesity across Canada at 20.4 per cent.

That same data, which was corrected for respondent bias, found that Alberta did not differ from the national average for levels of obesity (BMI above 30).