Almost half of Ontario's adults are overweight and measures need to be
taken to reduce what has become an obesity "epidemic," the province's chief
medical officer said Wednesday.

"I am alarmed to report that almost one out of every two adults in Ontario
is overweight or obese," Dr. Sheila Basrur said in her annual report,
titled Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives. The report also warns that obesity
among children aged seven to 13 tripled between 1981 and 1996.

Basrur said unhealthy weights are responsible for a dramatic rise in
adult-onset diabetes and contribute to heart disease, strokes, hypertension
and some cancers.

"Fortunately, this epidemic can be reversed," Basrur said in a release.

Basrur stressed in the report that healthy, active living combined with
sensible eating habits would improve the quality of life for everyone in
the province.

"We know that healthy weights mean healthy lives," Basrur said. "People who
are a healthy weight feel better, are less likely to develop diseases and
enjoy a higher quality of life."

The report contains several recommendations for the Ontario government,
including a mass-media campaign to increase awareness of the benefits of
maintaining a healthy weight.

Basrur also asked the government to control food advertising aimed at
children, similar to measures in Quebec prohibiting advertising of some
products to children under the age of 13.

The reports also asks the government to give Ontarians better access to
weight-loss information by providing a telephone service such as the
Dial-a-Dietician service in British Columbia that has been in operation for
30 years.

Basrur also suggests Health Canada act to phase out trans fat from
processed foods and require large chain restaurants to disclose basic
nutrition facts about the foods they serve.

The report recommends that the food industry decrease serving sizes,
especially of snack foods and increase the use of user-friendly food
labelling on large chain restaurant menus and take-out foods.

Here are some recommendations aimed at reducing obesity in Ontario in the
annual report of Ontario's chief medical officer:

A mass-media campaign to increase awareness of the benefits of healthy
weights.

Controlled food advertising targeted at children.

Better access to weight loss information and counselling.

Phasing out trans fat in processed foods and requiring large chain
restaurants to disclose basic nutrition facts.

Funding a national physical activity promotion agency.

Providing more opportunities for people to be physically active by
enhancing parkland and recreational areas

Ensuring young children in day-care settings have healthy food choices and
daily physical activity.

Decreasing serving sizes, especially of snack foods

Increasing user-friendly food labelling on large chain restaurant menus and
take-out and deli foods.

Developing a corporate culture that supports healthy eating, physical
activity and employee wellness

Developing guidelines for food available in school cafeterias and vending
machines.

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