ABSTRACT

Cost of Obesity in Nova Scotia

Across Canada, rates of overweight (BMI =27+) have more than doubled since 1985 from 13% to 29%. Today, 38% of Nova Scotian adults (population aged 20-64) have a BMI of more than 27, compared to 18% in 1985. Although Nova Scotia has one of the highest rates of obesity in the country, the rate of increase since 1985 is no greater than the rate of increase across the country. Canadians with less education are more likely to be overweight, as are Canadians with lower incomes. Older Canadians are more likely to be overweight than younger Canadians.

Using the methodology of C. Laird Birmingham, et. al. in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, 23 February, 1999: 160 (4), the ‘population attributable fraction’ due to obesity of ten diseases was calculated and adjusted to determine the direct cost of obesity to the Nova Scotia health system, which is 120 million dollars per year. When indirect costs of productivity losses are included, the cost increases to more than 250 million dollars per year. It is estimated that 4,000 potential years of life are lost each year in Nova Scotia, and up to 1000 deaths annually in Nova Scotia occur unnecessarily due to obesity.

There are numerous factors contributing to the dramatic increase in obesity over the past 15 years. The food industry spends $35 billion a year advertising nutrient-poor, high fat, low fibre diets, far surpassing the budgets of nutrition education programs. Atlantic Canadians rank significantly below the Canadian average for physical activity, a statistic that is also linked to high rates of television watching. As Canadian adults are increasing the amount of time they spend at work, there is a concurrent decrease in the time spent cooking meals at home, resulting in poorer eating habits.

The obesity epidemic is global in scope. For the first time in human history, the number of overweight people equals the number of hungry people (1.1 billion of each). The determinants of this epidemic are deep social trends, including a junk food explosion, a more sedentary lifestyle, higher rates of stress and overwork, poverty and nutritional illiteracy. The point is not for overweight people to feel bad about themselves. On the contrary, it is to suggest that once the problem is clearly identified, Nova Scotia could take the lead in turning around a highly destructive global trend, and to encourage communities, schools, policy makers, health professionals and ordinary individuals to work together to improve the health and well being of all of our citizens.