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Body mass index (BMI), by sex, household population aged 18 and over excluding pregnant women, Canada and provinces, 1994/95-1998/99

Body mass index                       Total Underweight - BMI under 18.5 Normal weight - BMI 18.5-24.9 Overweight - BMI 25.0-29.9 Obese - BMI 30.0  or higher Body mass index, not stated
Number Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
1994/1995  
Canada 21,143,596 574,103 2.7 10,266,836 48.6 7,345,240 34.7 2,680,646 12.7 276,770 1.3
Males 10,486,759 102,611 1.0 4,447,987 42.4 4,556,760 43.5 1,313,806 12.5 65,595 E 0.6 E
Females 10,656,837 471,492 4.4 5,818,849 54.6 2,788,480 26.2 1,366,840 12.8 211,176 2.0
Newfoundland and Labrador 414,393 8,299 E 2.0 E 171,661 41.4 163,201 39.4 68,218 16.5 F F
Males 205,400 F F 74,925 36.5 92,115 44.8 36,282 17.7 F F
Females 208,993 6,837 E 3.3 E 96,736 46.3 71,085 34.0 31,936 15.3 F F
Prince Edward Island 95,747 1,927 E 2.0 E 38,922 40.7 38,404 40.1 14,732 15.4 1,762 E 1.8 E
Males 47,371 F F 16,157 34.1 24,046 50.8 6,603 13.9 F F
Females 48,376 1,818 E 3.8 E 22,765 47.1 14,358 29.7 8,129 16.8 F F
Nova Scotia 676,608 13,875 E 2.1 E 280,040 41.4 257,674 38.1 112,855 16.7 12,165 E 1.8 E
Males 332,976 F F 119,809 36.0 154,887 46.5 55,729 16.7 F F
Females 343,632 12,239 E 3.6 E 160,231 46.6 102,786 29.9 57,127 16.6 11,250 E 3.3 E
New Brunswick 539,124 10,231 E 1.9 E 218,820 40.6 212,840 39.5 92,791 17.2 F F
Males 265,680 F F 89,134 33.5 134,965 50.8 39,467 14.9 F F
Females 273,444 8,428 E 3.1 E 129,686 47.4 77,876 28.5 53,323 19.5 F F
Quebec 5,314,833 164,463 3.1 2,814,282 53.0 1,683,037 31.7 587,381 11.1 65,670 E 1.2 E
Males 2,621,297 F F 1,265,507 48.3 1,028,036 39.2 290,303 11.1 F F
Females 2,693,536 153,637 5.7 1,548,775 57.5 655,001 24.3 297,078 11.0 F F
Ontario 8,077,769 228,799 2.8 3,771,038 46.7 2,898,503 35.9 1,078,023 13.3 101,406 1.3
Males 3,995,315 51,874 E 1.3 E 1,618,118 40.5 1,786,219 44.7 517,060 12.9 F F
Females 4,082,455 176,925 4.3 2,152,920 52.7 1,112,284 27.2 560,963 13.7 79,363 E 1.9 E
Manitoba 801,611 F F 369,822 46.1 287,064 35.8 119,659 14.9 F F
Males 403,295 F F 155,887 38.7 171,342 42.5 67,792 16.8 F F
Females 398,316 F F 213,935 53.7 115,722 29.1 51,867 13.0 F F
Saskatchewan 682,775 15,608 E 2.3 E 279,732 41.0 263,845 38.6 111,888 16.4 11,702 E 1.7 E
Males 340,597 F F 116,212 34.1 159,363 46.8 59,068 17.3 F F
Females 342,178 13,895 E 4.1 E 163,520 47.8 104,482 30.5 52,820 15.4 F F
Alberta 1,872,670 36,112 E 1.9 E 918,872 49.1 665,146 35.5 223,823 12.0 28,717 E 1.5 E
Males 953,511 F F 418,558 43.9 431,701 45.3 96,261 10.1 F F
Females 919,159 29,122 E 3.2 E 500,314 54.4 233,444 25.4 127,562 13.9 28,717 E 3.1 E
British Columbia 2,668,066 79,775 E 3.0 E 1,403,648 52.6 875,526 32.8 271,276 10.2 37,842 E 1.4 E
Males 1,321,319 F F 573,679 43.4 574,086 43.4 145,242 11.0 F F
Females 1,346,748 60,850 E 4.5 E 829,969 61.6 301,440 22.4 126,035 9.4 F F
1996/1997  
Canada 21,937,770 503,523 2.3 10,606,823 48.3 7,528,109 34.3 2,619,400 11.9 679,914 3.1
Males 10,836,093 96,679 0.9 4,467,666 41.2 4,727,348 43.6 1,377,792 12.7 166,608 1.5
Females 11,101,677 406,844 3.7 6,139,158 55.3 2,800,761 25.2 1,241,608 11.2 513,306 4.6
Newfoundland and Labrador 411,832 5,461 E 1.3 E 177,455 43.1 154,762 37.6 69,031 16.8 F F
Males 207,116 F F 75,562 36.5 97,302 47.0 31,598 15.3 F F
Females 204,715 F F 101,893 49.8 57,460 28.1 37,433 18.3 F F
Prince Edward Island 100,578 2,071 E 2.1 E 41,519 41.3 40,448 40.2 14,276 14.2 2,265 E 2.3 E
Males 49,009 F F 15,086 30.8 25,722 52.5 6,971 14.2 F F
Females 51,569 1,660 E 3.2 E 26,432 51.3 14,726 28.6 7,305 14.2 F F
Nova Scotia 689,479 F F 283,545 41.1 255,611 37.1 130,237 18.9 12,489 E 1.8 E
Males 340,072 F F 118,557 34.9 151,426 44.5 63,893 18.8 F F
Females 349,406 F F 164,988 47.2 104,185 29.8 66,344 19.0 F F
New Brunswick 559,161 8,655 E 1.5 E 218,583 39.1 226,007 40.4 100,353 17.9 F F
Males 268,663 F F 83,465 31.1 142,873 53.2 40,136 14.9 F F
Females 290,498 7,354 E 2.5 E 135,119 46.5 83,134 28.6 60,217 20.7 F F
Quebec 5,489,998 153,356 2.8 2,787,925 50.8 1,834,913 33.4 576,274 10.5 137,529 2.5
Males 2,713,935 F F 1,225,222 45.1 1,111,475 41.0 299,731 11.0 49,752 E 1.8 E
Females 2,776,062 125,599 4.5 1,562,704 56.3 723,439 26.1 276,543 10.0 87,777 3.2
Ontario 8,334,674 212,543 2.6 4,001,542 48.0 2,762,104 33.1 977,868 11.7 380,617 4.6
Males 4,097,702 42,363 1.0 1,662,697 40.6 1,768,971 43.2 547,195 13.4 76,476 1.9
Females 4,236,972 170,180 4.0 2,338,845 55.2 993,133 23.4 430,673 10.2 304,140 7.2
Manitoba 802,803 16,516 2.1 350,695 43.7 285,940 35.6 119,752 14.9 29,899 3.7
Males 392,709 3,888 E 1.0 E 147,090 37.5 173,346 44.1 65,259 16.6 3,126 E 0.8 E
Females 410,093 12,628 3.1 203,605 49.6 112,594 27.5 54,493 13.3 26,773 6.5
Saskatchewan 697,858 9,726 E 1.4 E 279,401 40.0 278,802 40.0 120,785 17.3 9,144 E 1.3 E
Males 351,071 F F 115,633 32.9 166,377 47.4 66,456 18.9 F F
Females 346,787 9,001 E 2.6 E 163,768 47.2 112,426 32.4 54,328 15.7 F F
Alberta 1,972,142 48,603 2.5 927,078 47.0 706,014 35.8 224,978 11.4 65,470 3.3
Males 992,404 8,417 E 0.8 E 396,505 40.0 450,674 45.4 118,995 12.0 17,814 1.8
Females 979,737 40,186 4.1 530,573 54.2 255,340 26.1 105,983 10.8 47,656 4.9
British Columbia 2,879,246 38,995 E 1.4 E 1,539,080 53.5 983,508 34.2 285,847 9.9 31,817 E 1.1 E
Males 1,423,410 F F 627,850 44.1 639,183 44.9 137,558 9.7 F F
Females 1,455,836 28,337 E 1.9 E 911,230 62.6 344,325 23.7 148,289 10.2 23,656 E 1.6 E
1998/1999  
Canada 22,385,105 507,332 2.3 10,552,269 47.1 7,854,878 35.1 3,162,439 14.1 308,187 1.4
Males 11,030,229 138,348 1.3 4,369,740 39.6 4,868,515 44.1 1,598,121 14.5 55,505 E 0.5 E
Females 11,354,875 368,984 3.2 6,182,529 54.4 2,986,362 26.3 1,564,318 13.8 252,682 2.2
Newfoundland and Labrador 400,553 F F 157,230 39.3 158,083 39.5 76,839 19.2 F F
Males 200,210 F F 66,235 33.1 95,117 47.5 37,326 18.6 F F
Females 200,344 F F 90,995 45.4 62,966 31.4 39,513 19.7 F F
Prince Edward Island 99,465 F F 37,617 37.8 42,403 42.6 15,466 15.5 2,068 E 2.1 E
Males 48,058 F F 12,846 26.7 26,191 54.5 7,894 16.4 F F
Females 51,407 F F 24,771 48.2 16,213 31.5 7,572 14.7 1,708 E 3.3 E
Nova Scotia 688,760 F F 289,111 42.0 255,175 37.0 129,758 18.8 F F
Males 328,783 F F 112,413 34.2 150,607 45.8 65,141 19.8 F F
Females 359,977 F F 176,698 49.1 104,568 29.0 64,616 18.0 F F
New Brunswick 567,195 F F 222,857 39.3 217,807 38.4 109,132 19.2 F F
Males 275,995 F F 90,721 32.9 141,398 51.2 41,197 14.9 F F
Females 291,199 F F 132,136 45.4 76,409 26.2 67,935 23.3 F F
Quebec 5,540,164 137,417 2.5 2,879,253 52.0 1,777,715 32.1 632,047 11.4 113,732 E 2.1 E
Males 2,730,304 34,786 E 1.3 E 1,268,442 46.5 1,099,957 40.3 309,991 11.4 F F
Females 2,809,860 102,631 3.7 1,610,811 57.3 677,758 24.1 322,056 11.5 96,605 E 3.4 E
Ontario 8,467,687 197,770 2.3 3,859,389 45.6 3,079,160 36.4 1,244,996 14.7 86,371 E 1.0 E
Males 4,151,243 57,391 E 1.4 E 1,544,769 37.2 1,880,626 45.3 654,192 15.8 F F
Females 4,316,444 140,379 3.3 2,314,620 53.6 1,198,534 27.8 590,804 13.7 72,106 E 1.7 E
Manitoba 799,339 F F 343,372 43.0 301,400 37.7 140,153 17.5 F F
Males 397,320 F F 138,609 34.9 179,592 45.2 74,667 18.8 F F
Females 402,020 F F 204,763 50.9 121,808 30.3 65,486 16.3 F F
Saskatchewan 715,633 9,419 E 1.3 E 272,235 38.0 282,808 39.5 135,768 19.0 15,403 E 2.2 E
Males 367,458 F F 116,316 31.7 171,260 46.6 75,277 20.5 F F
Females 348,176 8,549 E 2.5 E 155,920 44.8 111,548 32.0 60,491 17.4 11,668 E 3.4 E
Alberta 2,082,317 58,641 E 2.8 E 954,592 45.8 710,548 34.1 333,555 16.0 24,981 E 1.2 E
Males 1,048,386 22,330 E 2.1 E 401,728 38.3 471,237 44.9 148,086 14.1 F F
Females 1,033,931 36,311 E 3.5 E 552,864 53.5 239,311 23.1 185,469 17.9 F F
British Columbia 3,023,991 66,356 E 2.2 E 1,536,611 50.8 1,029,779 34.1 344,724 11.4 46,521 E 1.5 E
Males 1,482,472 F F 617,662 41.7 652,531 44.0 184,349 12.4 F F
Females 1,541,519 51,359 E 3.3 E 918,949 59.6 377,248 24.5 160,376 10.4 33,587 E 2.2 E
1. Data source: Statistics Canada, National Population Health Survey, 1994/95, 1996/97 and 1998/99, cross sectional sample, health file
2. Population aged 18 and over, excluding pregnant women and persons less than 3 feet (0.914 metres) tall or greater than 6 feet 11 inches (2.108 metres). A definition change was implemented in 2004 to conform with Health Canada guidelines for body weight classification.
3. Body mass index (BMI) is calculated by dividing the respondent's body weight (in kilograms) by their height (in metres) squared.
4. The index is: less than 18.5 (underweight); 18.5-24.9 (normal weight), 25.0-29.9 (overweight); 30.0-34.9 (obese - class I); 35.0-39.9 (obese - class II); 40 or greater (obese - class III).
5. Body mass index (BMI) is a method of classifying body weight according to health risk. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Canada guidelines, health risk levels are associated with each of the following BMI categories: normal weight = least health risk; underweight and overweight = increased health risk; obese - class I = high health risk; obese - class II = very high health risk; obese - class III = extremely high health risk.
6. Bootstrapping techniques were used to produce the coefficient of variation (CV) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
7. Data with a coefficient of variation (CV) from 16.6% to 33.3% are identified by an (E) and should be interpreted with caution.
8. Data with a coefficient of variation (CV) greater than 33.3% were suppressed (F) due to extreme sampling variability.
9. CANSIM table number 01040007.
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