Many Canadians live with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, cancers and other chronic diseases brought on by factors such as unhealthy eating and low physical activity. Conditions like these reduce quality of life and longevity while driving up health care costs. All together, chronic diseases challenge the sustainability of Canada’s health care system.
Physicians see the toll of chronic disease every day in their practices, and often have the opportunity to offer healthy living advice. The CMA serves as a unifying voice for physicians on chronic disease prevention. We’ve long advocated for stronger policies and regulations in Canada to combat contributing factors, from clear nutrition information on packages to restrictions on marketing unhealthy food and beverages to children. We continue to call for research to ensure physicians have the latest knowledge and evidence-based tools for promoting prevention.
2013 Canadian Health Measures Survey
of Canadians are overweight, largely due to unhealthy diets
Public Health Agency of Canada
was the estimated cost of obesity-related health conditions in Canada in 2008
Heart & Stroke Foundation (2017)
of food and beverage ads children see online are for unhealthy products
Statistics Canada (2007 to 2011)
is how much the most physically active adults reduce their risk of chronic disease