New research has found yet another way the pandemic left our collective health worse off.
Driving the news: A new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that nearly a third of Canadians were obese in 2023, an eight-percentage-point jump since 2009. What’s more, 4.9% of Canadians were considered to be severely obese, up from just 2.4% 15 years prior.
- The spike was exacerbated by pandemic lockdowns that encouraged inactive lifestyles, made healthier foods difficult to access, and led to overeating as a coping method.
Why it matters: Obesity presents a growing burden on Canada’s strained healthcare system and, in turn, the wider economy. A study estimated that inaction in treating obesity cost Canada $27.6 billion in 2023 between expenses like healthcare costs and lost wages.
Big picture: Most of this data comes from before GLP-1 treatments for diabetes and weight loss became widely available in Canada. It’s unclear what level of impact the widespread use of drugs like Ozempic have had on obesity numbers, but surely it must be something.
- And the more people who contend with obesity, the more who are likely to turn to these drugs.
Bottom line: GLP-1 use is set to grow further when Novo Nordisk’s Canadian patent for Ozempic expires next January, likely resulting in a wave of cheaper generic versions. Easier access (and expanded insurance coverage) could result in reduced obesity levels… but could also lead to more drug abuse.—QH