According to Statistics Canada, more than half of Windsor-Essex County adults are overweight and about one in five squeezes into the obese category, making this region an area with a higher-than-average number of overweight people.  The 2007 Canadian Community Health Survey, conducted by the federal government, found that 56.3 percent of Windsor-Essex residents aged 18 and older are above their acceptable weight.  Included in that group are 19.8 percent of local adults who are obese. Across Canada, 16 percent of people are considered obese and 48.4 percent are overweight or obese.

49.2 percent of local men versus 24.1 percent of local women are overweight.  Obesity rates were 20 percent and 19.6 percent, respectively.  The report also indicated that more than half of Windsor-Essex residents said they are not physically active.

The Community Health Survey also found that almost 20 percent of Windsor-Essex residents aged 12 and older are daily or occasional smokers and 22 percent have five or more drinks in one sitting at least once a month.  Further, the survey found that more than 15 percent of area residents reported having high blood pressure; 10 percent had asthma and close to seven percent had diabetes. One in five survey respondents said they suffered from arthritis.

These figures suggest little has changed since a local health coalition launched a call for action against unhealthy lifestyles a year ago.  Go For Health, a partnership of the Cancer Prevention Network, the Health Action Windsor-Essex Coalition and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, urged local municipalities, school boards and businesses to work together to reduce the rates of obesity, diabetes, chronic diseases, and substance abuse in the region.