Only one-third of Canadians will admit to being "very" or "somewhat" overweight, despite national statistics that indicate the true proportion of overweight Canadians is approaching double that.
In addition, nearly six out of 10 Canadian adults polled think they’re of "average" weight, according to a survey commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association. But average weight has been going up in Canada.
Experts say the survey highlights how society’s view of what’s considered "normal" body weight is changing. We think a bigger weight is normal, said Dr. Sean Wharton, an internal medicine specialist.
"Average probably means to them that they feel that they’re not in the overweight or obese category, but clearly most people are," Wharton said.
"Many people are looking at their increased weight as not so much of a problem," he said, when in fact blood tests and ultrasounds often reveal brewing health problems associated with overweight — including hypertension, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the leading cause of liver failure in North America.
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