OBESITY RATE

Saskatchewan leads country

Nearly half of Saskatchewan adults are obese — a significant jump from a decade ago, and far above the Canadian average.

According to data released this week from Statistics Canada’s community health survey, 45.9 per cent of Saskatchewan residents had body mass indexes (BMIs) greater than 30 in 2015. That’s an increase from 30.8 per cent since 2004.

Across Canada, 26.7 per cent of the population included in the community health survey in 2015 were obese, up from 23.1 per cent 11 years earlier.

Saskatchewan was followed by Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island as the provinces with the highest obesity rates (at 45.9, 38.9 and 36.7 per cent respectively).

British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario had the lowest rates (at 21.4, 23.1 and 25.9 per cent respectively).

Saskatchewan also leads the country in child and youth obesity. Nearly one in five young people aged five to 17 — 19.1 per cent of them — were obese in 2015, up from 14.2 per cent in 2004.

Canada-wide, 12 per cent of children and youth were obese, down from 13.3 per cent.

Leslie Geran, the unit head of health statistics for Statistic Canada’s health, justice and special surveys branch, said she doesn’t know why Saskatchewan leads in obesity rates or why the province saw such a large jump in its rates. She expects researchers will want to dive into the reasons behind Saskatchewan’s high numbers.

For the community health survey, conducted throughout 2015, researchers collected measurements from people in communities across the country. In Saskatchewan, 1,071 adults and children agreed to have their heights and weights measured and their BMIs calculated. Those sampled came from both urban centres and smaller rural communities.

People living on reserves were not included in the survey.

Geran admits BMI — which is calculated based on a person’s height and weight measurements — is not a perfect measure of obesity. It’s sensitive to body frame, which means short, beefy body builders could have BMIs that indicate they are obese.

However, that caveat cannot explain away Saskatchewan’s high numbers, she said.

“If that was so, you’d see it across the other provinces as well.”

Obesity rates in Saskatchewan were higher in women than men and highest in people aged 55 to 64.

The rate among women was 47.8 per cent, compared to 44.1 per cent for men.

The rate for people aged 55-64 was 62.4 per cent.

Obesity rates in Saskatchewan were also greater than 50 per cent for people aged 25 to 34 years (50.2 per cent), 45 to 54 years (50.4 per cent) and 65 to 74 years (51.5 per cent).