ArticleBMC public health2025
Modeling the cost of inaction in treating obesity in Canada.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Humanistic Burden and Gaps in Care and Treatment Policies of Obesity in Canada: A Systematic Review.Advances in therapy · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise Snacks in Adults Living With Obesity: Protocol for a Randomized Feasibility Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundObesity prevalence continues to rise in Canada, highlighting a growing public health concern. This study updates estimates of the societal cost of inaction in treating obesity, emphasizing the significant economic burden stemming from both direct healthcare costs and indirect productivity losses.
methodsWe combined data from national surveys and published literature to estimate the 2023 national economic implications of obesity. Comparing adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) to those with healthy weight (25 > BMI ≥ 18.5), we assessed healthcare costs, absenteeism, presenteeism, disability pensions, mortality-related costs, workforce participation, and earnings. Canadian data were used where possible, supplemented by U.S. data, standardized to 2023 CAD$.
resultsThe cost of inaction in treating obesity in Canada was $27.6 billion in 2023, including $5.9 billion in direct healthcare and $21.7 billion in indirect costs. Excess healthcare costs are driven by higher utilization of medical services. Indirect costs include approximately $8.2 billion from reduced workforce participation, $6.8 billion from presenteeism, $3.8 billion in lower earnings among employed with obesity, $2.0 billion from lost wages due to premature mortality, $682 million from absenteeism, and $268 million from disability pensions.
conclusionsThe economic implications of not addressing obesity effectively are substantial, emphasizing the urgent need for utilizing effective chronic disease management strategies. Our findings highlight the disproportionate impact on women and the broader economic consequences, underscoring the imperative for tailored policy interventions. Investing in comprehensive, evidence-based obesity management not only enhances individual well-being but also yields significant societal and economic benefits.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.