Canada has seen rising rates of obesity and diabetes:

• Obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m²) affected 26.4% and overweight (body mass index 25-29.9 kg/m²) affected 34% of adults in 2016.
• Diabetes and prediabetes affected 9.3% and 22.1% of adults respectively in 2015.

Obesity and diabetes increase the risk of developing a number of complications:

• Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, among others.
• Diabetes also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and is the leading cause of blindness, end stage renal disease and non-traumatic amputation.

Prediabetes refers to impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or a glycated hemoglobin of 6.0 to 6.4%, each of which increases the risk of developing diabetes and its complications.

Physical Activity and Metabolic Conditions

While regular physical activity may improve glucose control and facilitate weight loss, it causes a wide range of health benefits (i.e., improved cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life) in adults even if glucose and body weight control do not change.

Canadian guidelines recommend that adults living with overweight, obesity, prediabetes and/or diabetes perform aerobic and resistance exercise and decrease sedentary behaviour (e.g., sitting or watching TV) for health benefits and/or body weight control.

Useful Resources

Type 2 Diabetes (Moving Medicine, United Kingdom)
This website presents step-by-step guides to integrating physical activity conversations in routine clinical care.

Click here for resources designed for clients.

Further Reading

• Metabolic Conditions and Physical Activity References (PDF)

Last updated: November 2021