Marina Carr

World wide, obesity is on the rise to such an extent that the World Health Organization refers to the escalating global epidemic of obesity as “globesity” The paper discusses the literature of the potential predictors of obesity, first in the United States and then in Canada. These predictors include the influences of inequality in income; the ability to access healthy food; immigration and the Healthy Immigrant Effect, and food security. The data used in the study is primarily from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2009-2010 - the most current cycle available. Logistic regression is the main method used to analyse the data in Canada and the case studies of Toronto and Halifax. The paper discusses the risk factors of obesity in Canada and their varied influence on BMI. It gives attention to high and low prevalence regions at the province and health region level.