People living with obesity have a powerful new tool to help them – and their doctors – better understand the condition, thanks to updated Canadian guidelines. The Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines view the condition through a new lens that doesn’t make stereotyped assumptions about being heavy, said project co-author Arya Sharma, past chair in obesity research and…
As financial stress mounts, so does the desire for all kinds of foods, according to a study that hints the COVID-19 pandemic will increase obesity rates, especially among those who have lost their jobs. University of Alberta consumer psychology researcher Jim Swaffield and his co-researcher Qi Guo conducted an experiment with 564 participants to examine…
Public shaming may reach a new low by looking at how much we eat
Move over flight shaming: environmentalists may be getting ready to target a new group of individuals. Overeaters. Yes, overeating could potentially become the next shaming social media target. For months now, many have taken to social media to spread their concerns about choices made when travelling. The plane has been a special target of environmentalists,…
The way our cities and towns have been built plays a large role in many of the health conditions that Canadians develop
By Kevin Lam McMaster University and Jean Wang Ottawa University Since John Snow mapped out the large cholera outbreak in 1854 to where people lived in London, it’s been known that where we live, work and play strongly influences people’s health. The way our cities and towns have been built plays a large role in many of the…
Two of the primary risk factors for the disease are obesity and lack of exercise
Diabetes is one of the leading health problems affecting North America today and is rapidly on the rise. It is also well known that this disease can cause serious health complications such as vision loss and amputation as well as life-threatening problems like stroke, heart disease and kidney failure. Indeed, diabetes, which affects the body’s…
It’s sad when adults choose to be inactive. It’s even sadder when we don’t provide our children the opportunity to establish physically-active lifestyles
Our children have never been more sedentary. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016, only 21.6 per cent of children and adolescents in the United States aged six to 19 met the recommended 60 or more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity at least five times a week. It’s a safe bet that…
Evidence in other countries shows that consumption taxes don't address the root targets in meaningful ways
By Ashley Stedman and Jake Fuss The Fraser Institute Policy-makers and pundits have mused recently about a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to fight obesity and other-health related issues in Canada. It’s a bad idea that should be abandoned. According to Mark Holland, Liberal MP for Ajax, Ont., a ‘soda tax’ will “push consumers away from…
The Senate has delayed for eight months its final vote on restrictions to food marketing to children
By Peter Mansbridge and Yves Savoie “Delay always breeds danger; and to protract a great design is often to ruin it.” Miguel de Cervantes put this astute observation in the mouth of his most famous literary character, Don Quixote. Though written more than 400 years ago, the lesson applies very well right now to the…
A bill that would protect children is languishing in the Senate. We need it to tackle childhood obesity and chronic diseases
If you’ve ever watched the hit TV series Mad Men, you’ll remember that everybody smoked. Everyone. Everywhere. It was a great show, in part, because it was like a trip back in time, showing us what life was like in the American advertising industry in the early 1960s. Smoking was just a part of normal…
Lack of energy, lack of motivation and sedating medications are all contributing factors
An unfortunate reality sometimes associated with mental illness and its treatment is unwanted weight gain. Some psychiatric illnesses such as mood disorders and anxiety disorders can cause changes in appetite and motivation that can lead to weight gain on their own. However, weight gain is also a fairly common side effect of some psychiatric medications.…