Canada sees obesity rates triple

Forget the idea that the United States will always be the fattest country in the world; Canada, it seems, is close behind.

New research suggests that obesity rates in Canada have tripled in the last three decades, and estimates suggest that more than one-fifth of the country's residents will be obese by 2019.

The findings, which are published in the journal CMAJ Open, come soon after other research claiming that about one-third of European teens are overweight or obese.

Most severe kind of obesity increasing rapidly

The study reviewed health surveys that dated back to 1985, revealing that 18 percent of Canadians were obese in 2011 – which was up from 6 percent in 1985. Severe obesity also seems to be increasing the fastest in Canada, and people over 40 are most likely to be overweight or obese.

In the west, obesity rates were lower than in the east, and the highest rates were seen in Newfoundland, Labrador, and New Brunswick.

Class III obesity, which is the most severe kind, rose 433 percent during the study period.

"Although class I obesity appears to be increasing at a slower rate in Canada, the rate for the higher classes of obesity continue to increase disproportionately, a finding consistent with other studies," the researchers said in a press release.

In the United States, about 36 percent of residents are considered obese, according to BMI standards.

Source: Health Day