Canadian clinical guidelines on obesity are changing for the first time in over 15 years, recognizing obesity as a ‘chronic medical condition’ and calling for a fundamental shift in how we think about it.
Obesity Canada founder Dr. Arya M. Sharma says it’s a more complex issue than previously considered, and that the traditional formula of calculating a person’s body mass index (BMI) isn’t an accurate measurement for everyone.
“There are a lot of people who may not like their large bodies, because we live in a fatphobic society where people who live in large bodies are generally looked down upon — but they might not necessarily have health problems that can be fixed by losing weight.
Sharma said he doesn’t want to downplay any of the hundreds of medical conditions that can be caused by obesity, but that there shouldn’t automatically be the stigma that a larger person is seen as unhealthy.
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“It’s a very different way of looking at (obesity),” he said.
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“The idea of ‘calories in, calories out’ does not work. It’s not a long-term strategy for people, and it really doesn’t take into account so many other pieces that come with weight loss or obesity.
“It doesn’t talk about your stress levels, it doesn’t talk about genetics, it doesn’t talk about any potential injuries that you have or other issues going on with your mental health or your hormones. There’s so many different pieces that come into play.”
Katz told 680 CJOB it’s a matter of understanding the individual context and circumstances behind why someone might be obese, rather than trying to solve it with a formula.
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