Health Reports

A Canadian peer-reviewed journal of population health and health services research

December 2025

Changes in households’ vulnerability to food insecurity in Canada before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

by Search for Statistics Canada publications by Andrée-Anne Fafard St-Germain, Andrée-Anne Fafard St-Germain , ORCID for Andrée-Anne Fafard St-Germain , Timmie Li and Search for Statistics Canada publications by Valerie Tarasuk, Valerie Tarasuk , ORCID for Valerie Tarasuk

Household food insecurity, the inadequate or insecure access to food caused by financial constraints, is a serious population health problem in Canada, strongly associated with numerous adverse health outcomes among children and adults, including increased risk of type 2 diabetes, poorer mental health, higher rates of infectious and non-communicable diseases, more health care use, and premature mortality. These relationships are graded, with more severe food insecurity associated with more negative health outcomes and health care use, even after controlling for income and other demographic characteristics.

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Mood disorders among older Canadians

by Search for Statistics Canada publications by Md Kamrul Islam, Md Kamrul Islam , ORCID for Md Kamrul Islam and Heather Gilmour

An increasing number of Canadians are living with mental health problems, including mood disorders. In 2022, an estimated 4.7 million Canadians aged 15 years or older (15.6%) reported a lifetime diagnosis of a mood disorder, with higher rates among women (18.4%) than men (12.6%). However, this may be an underestimate since many individuals with symptoms remain undiagnosed or do not seek professional treatment because of factors such as stigma, lack of awareness, and low mental health literacy.

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