not because most Americans are drinking beer and getting fatter . you're smooth bobby blue chip
Number of fat Canadians has skyrocketed: study
Canadian Press
TORONTO -- A new study looking at the prevalence of obesity in Canada has found that the number of people at the highest end of the obesity scale has skyrocketed over the past several decades.
The study, conducted by researchers at Queen's University, found that between the years 1990 and 2003, the number of people that scored in Health Canada's highest obesity category jumped from 0.4 per cent to 1.3 per cent - a 225 per cent increase.
"The increases in prevalence of overweight and all levels of obesity in Canada between 1985 and 2003 are cause for concern given the markedly increased risk of premature death and of metabolic and musculoskeletal complications arising from morbid obesity," the study said.
The authors warned that the number of extremely obese Canadians may be even greater, as people tend to underestimate their weight and therefore give misleading information in surveys.
For example, the study found that the percentage of Canadians whose weight fall into the highest and middle classes of obesity were 1.3 and 3.0 per cent, respectively. A separate study conducted in 2004 and based on measurements taken by the researchers instead of given by participants found those numbers to be 2.7 per cent and 5.1 per cent.
The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, consolidated seven nationally representative surveys of Canadians.
The categories of obesity used in the study were based on the body mass index (BMI), which is calculated using a ratio between a person's height and their weight.
Under Health Canada guidelines, a person is considered overweight if their BMI exceeds 25, and obese if their BMI exceeds 35. But obesity is also broken down into three classes - Class 1 ranges from 30-34.9, Class 2 from 35-39.9 and Class 3 is anyone with a BMI of 40 or above.
The authors said that treatment options for all levels of obesity include lifestyle changes involving diet and exercise, while those in classes 2 or 3 could also benefit from options like surgery and medication.
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