A Canadian Perspective on Policies to Address Obesity in Populations of Low Socioeconomic Status

Obesity is one of the leading detrimental medical conditions in Canada; the Canadian adult population that is categorized as ‘obese’ now exceeds 25%, which is an increase from the 20% in 2000, and even more so from the 10% in 1986 (Raine, 2004). Across the globe, foods are becoming increasingly refined to enhance flavor, while keeping costs low. For individuals of a low socioeconomic status, already constrained by a budget, this change in the food environment they’re exposed to reflect on the types of foods they typically consume. To combat an increasingly prevalent problem, changes in policy can be used to alter the food environment. Considered in this systemic review were the strategies of financing initiatives for geographic access to fresh food, land-use control via zoning, and taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).