Beyond treatment: Reinvigorating prevention in Canadian obesity and chronic disease policy

Abstract

Abstract Over the past 15 years, obesity discourse in Canada has undergone substantial transformation. Obesity is now widely recognized as a chronic disease; weight bias and stigma are increasingly considered; and effective pharmacological and surgical therapies have expanded treatment options for people living with obesity. These developments represent important advances in obesity care and challenge longstanding narratives that frame obesity as a matter of personal responsibility. Despite this progress, gaps remain in the implementation of evidence-informed prevention policies in Canada. As attention to obesity treatment continues to expand, a renewed focus is needed to ensure that prevention remains an integral component of obesity and chronic disease policy. Population health policies address the upstream social, economic, and environmental conditions that shape obesity risk and can complement clinical approaches to care. This commentary urges us to ensure that population-level prevention policies in Canada are reinvigorated alongside advances in treatment. We outline five priorities for renewed action in Canada: improving food environments, promoting healthy built environments, addressing income and social inequities, creating healthier digital environments, and strengthening early-life environments. Reinvigorating prevention alongside equitable access to evidence-based treatment is necessary to achieve a comprehensive, equitable, and sustainable approach to obesity and chronic disease prevention.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2026 · DOI ↗