Chart 2
Prevalence of selected chronic diseases and risk factors among Canadians aged 18 and older, by rural area or population centre, 2023

Overweight Obesity Arthritis High blood pressure Diabetes Heart disease Stroke 0 10 20 30 40 % Population centrePopulation centre Rural areaRural area
Note(s):
Territorial data are not included in annual estimates. A population centre has a population of at least 1,000 and a population density of 400 persons or more per square kilometre, based on population counts from the current Census of Population. All areas outside population centres are classified as rural areas. Body mass index is derived by dividing the respondent's self-reported body weight (in kilograms) by their height (in metres) squared. This excludes pregnant females and people shorter than 3 feet or taller than 6 feet 11 inches. A correction factor is applied to adjust for underestimates in weight and overestimates in height. According to the World Health Organization and Health Canada guidelines, the index for body weight classification for the population aged 18 and older is 25.00 to 29.99 for overweight; 30.00 to 34.99 for obese, class I; 35.00 to 39.99 for obese, class II; and 40.00 or greater for obese, class III. Obesity classes are grouped for the purposes of this analysis.
Source(s):
Canadian Community Health Survey, 2023 (3226).

Chart description


This is a bar clustered chart.

Prevalence of selected chronic diseases and risk factors among Canadians aged 18 and older, by rural area or population centre, 2023, %
  Population centre Rural area
Overweight 35.8 34.3
Obesity 29.0 36.7
Arthritis 19.5 26.2
High blood pressure 19.4 22.1
Diabetes 7.8 9.1
Heart disease 6.0 7.7
Stroke 1.1 1.6
Note(s):
Territorial data are not included in annual estimates. A population centre has a population of at least 1,000 and a population density of 400 persons or more per square kilometre, based on population counts from the current Census of Population. All areas outside population centres are classified as rural areas. Body mass index is derived by dividing the respondent's self-reported body weight (in kilograms) by their height (in metres) squared. This excludes pregnant females and people shorter than 3 feet or taller than 6 feet 11 inches. A correction factor is applied to adjust for underestimates in weight and overestimates in height. According to the World Health Organization and Health Canada guidelines, the index for body weight classification for the population aged 18 and older is 25.00 to 29.99 for overweight; 30.00 to 34.99 for obese, class I; 35.00 to 39.99 for obese, class II; and 40.00 or greater for obese, class III. Obesity classes are grouped for the purposes of this analysis.
Source(s):
Canadian Community Health Survey, 2023 (3226).
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