Facts That Matter:
- There are 7.3 million adults living with obesity in Canada.
- 1 in 3 of these people require medical support.
- Comorbidities of obesity include anxiety and depression; cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and joint pain.
- Public health programs do not provide full support for people managing overweight and obesity because of stigma and a lack of inclusion compared to patients managing other chronic diseases.
- No public drug plans in Canada currently cover treatments for obesity; and private insurance plans mostly block or restrict access to obesity treatments.
Since the New Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines were launched in August 2020, there has been more discussion acknowledging that obesity is a disease, but little movement by public policy makers to implement systemic changes that will help patients manage their disease more effectively.
The private insurance industry has seen some positive signals with insurance companies looking to increase access to obesity treatments, with some removing the category of “Lifestyle” where companies could opt in or out. Obesity Matters seeks equity for all patients managing overweight and obesity.
How To Join Us
Your experiences managing overweight and obesity matter. Contact us to share your story so we can spread it throughout our community and with policy makers to inspire hope and help us advocate for improved health resources for our community.
