Obesity Rates Climb To Historic High

By Author: Janice Mills
Total Articles: 30
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Researchers and health care practitioners are calling for action as obesity rates in Canada hit historic levels. A recently released report highlights that in some parts of the country, more than 30% of the population is considered obese.

Researchers and health care practitioners are calling for action as obesity rates in Canada hit historic levels. A recently released report highlights that in some parts of the country, more than 30% of the population is considered obese.

Health Canada characterizes an individual as obese when their Body Mass Index is at or above the 95th percentile for people of the same age and sex. This corresponds to a BMI of 30 or above.

Citing data collected since 1998, researchers have shown that Canadians living in the Maritimes have the highest rates of obesity. Those living on the west coast are lower risk. The steady upward march of obesity rates in Canada is alarming health care experts who draw connections between weight gain and adverse long-term health problems such as diabetes and heart problems.

More and more doctors are recommending that patients, who are significantly ...
... overweight and are therefore in danger of suffering such ailments, consider the SmartShape Lap-Band Operation.

The procedure has been shown to help patients effectively reduce their weight and keep it off. During the Lap-Band procedure patients are placed under general anesthesia while a prosthetic device is inserted around the upper part of the stomach. The surgeon visualizes the abdominal cavity via a small camera that is inserted through small incisions. Gas is used to enlarge the area and providing space so that the Lap-Band can be placed around the upper stomach.

Lap-Band procedures have helped thousands of Canadians move toward improved health through weight loss.

Obesity rates in Canada have been climbing steadily since the 1980s. But a snapshot of a more recent timeframe suggests a more aggressive increase in rates in the last 20 years. For example, in the 2007 the rate of adult obesity, based on self-reported data, was 17% though experts believed it to be closer to 25%. Self-reported rates of obesity from across Canada increased from 2003 through to 2007.

The trend was identified among both men and women between the ages of 20 and 65. Obesity has been shown to be a major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension and liver disease, as well as breast, colon and prostate cancer. The annual health care cost associated with obesity and the resulting health problems is estimated to be more than $10 billion.

Author Bio:

SmartShape is a facility specializing in weight loss alternatives such as Lap Band Operation. For more information, visit their website.www.obesitysurgery.ca