WELCOME TO OBESITY MATTERS

Our Vision is to create a future of weight acceptance, where health and happiness are a priority

“Strong com­mu­ni­ties are born out of
indi­vid­u­als being their best selves.”

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Canadian indigenous writer

Our Mission

We are a not-for-profit whose Mission is to bring Hope and Empower People affected by Obesity through Education, Community and Advocacy.

What We Stand For

  • We believe our “ideal” weight is not an absolute number on a scale but rather a weight which does not impair our health or negatively impact our quality of life.
  • We understand that the concept of “eat less and move more” is not enough; there’s a lot more involved in losing weight and keeping it off than simply willpower.
  • We believe that no matter your size, shape or means, we all deserve to be cared for with respect, understanding and dignity… with everyone having equal access to medical treatments and therapies.

Together, we can make a difference.

Become a member at no cost and together let us Inspire Hope through Action

Our Three Drivers For Action

Education

During these unprecedented times, Obesity Matters strives to be a beacon of hope, knowledge and evidence-based resource for those living with overweight and obesity.

Learn more about Education

Community

A community is only as strong as its members, and when we engage, support and join forces we can drive change and improve the lives of people living with obesity.

Learn more about our Community

Advocacy

Your experiences in managing overweight and obesity matter. Connect with us to share your story and inspire hope, to help us advocate for improved health resources for our community.

Learn more about Advocacy
Priti Chawla Priti Chawla Executive Director
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Hello and thank you for visiting Obesity Matters (OM)

We started OM to primarily serve individuals and their loved ones living with or affected by obesity to take action towards a better future for themselves and their communities.

Our objectives are to:

  • Empower people living with or affected by obesity, to self-advocate for medical care and therapies they deserve.
Read full Message

Join the movement

Your generous contribution to Obesity Matters will help us fight back against the obesity epidemic.

Get involved
Testimonials

“I will say that in trying to find good quality information on obesity and evidence-based treatments, social media was instrumental. But for this, I would not have found the support I needed. I think there are likely a lot of people out there searching. Lack of access to family doctors and poor knowledge in many family docs makes services like OM critically important.”

Participant Eat, Play, Love

“Another amazing presentation. I really enjoyed Tony’s “keeping it simple” and “JERF” (just eat real food) approach to weight loss. I liked the term “palate fatigue” and his discussion about using different coping mechanisms rather than food. I think Tony is the “real deal” - very authentic. I also liked “letting go” instead of “giving up”.

Participant Eat, Play, Love

"I enjoyed Dr. Wharton’s presentation so much because he defined obesity in a way that made sense regarding medical issues, not BMI. I like how he described that the journey is about the patient and how advocating for the patient is most important.Most importantly, what made me feel good was when he talked about love, connection validation and acceptance being at the forefront and that it’s not just about weight loss"

Participant Eat, Play, Love

"I have very much appreciated the quality of these sessions and the resource people brought to us - broadly - across the country-and beyond. Many of us have no or little local access to the cutting edge of obesity medicine practice. Obesity Matters and its clear commitment to a wide audience makes a difference that I am deeply grateful for in an otherwise isolated/isolating environment."

Participant Eat, Play, Love

"The positive messages from inspiring athletes was helpful. Fat shaming and bullying, both are issues. Students need to learn to be healthy for the right reasons. Thank you! This is important work!"

School Educator for Raptors 905 Exercise Kindness Program

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Obesity Matters (OM) is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in all areas of the organization. OM is an equal opportunity organization that welcomes membership and participation from all people regardless of size, shape, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, group, age, ability, religion or experience. As we advance our mission to end stigma and create a future of weight acceptance, we believe it is critical to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as a way to intentionally make space for positive outcomes to flourish.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are more than just words, they are the core principles that guide our every action, and it is our promise to uphold these standards with every partner, collaboration and endeavour.

Obesity Matters is proudly partnered with