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Body mass index (BMI), by age group and sex, household population aged 18 and over excluding pregnant women, Canada, 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  
Total, 18 years and over 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
18-19 years 792,995 48,833 E 6.2 E 574,281 72.4 151,303 19.1 F F F F
Males 469,434 F F 329,535 70.2 113,997 24.3 F F F F
Females 323,561 32,996 E 10.2 E 244,746 75.6 37,307 E 11.5 E F F F F
20-24 years 1,701,937 80,192 E 4.7 E 1,090,620 64.1 372,205 21.9 137,513 8.1 21,407 E 1.3 E
Males 837,418 F F 512,072 61.1 242,867 29.0 65,181 E 7.8 E F F
Females 864,519 66,670 E 7.7 E 578,548 66.9 129,338 15.0 72,332 E 8.4 E F F
25-34 years 4,590,422 143,340 3.1 2,510,030 54.7 1,383,156 30.1 507,014 11.0 46,883 E 1.0 E
Males 2,337,763 F F 1,115,374 47.7 938,348 40.1 253,643 10.8 F F
Females 2,252,659 125,204 5.6 1,394,656 61.9 444,808 19.7 253,371 11.2 34,620 E 1.5 E
35-44 years 4,841,409 109,925 2.3 2,379,038 49.1 1,675,311 34.6 602,418 12.4 74,717 1.5 E
Males 2,474,091 F F 954,134 38.6 1,170,801 47.3 313,991 12.7 F F
Females 2,367,318 85,841 3.6 1,424,903 60.2 504,510 21.3 288,426 12.2 63,638 E 2.7 E
45-54 years 3,504,062 56,725 E 1.6 E 1,369,950 39.1 1,450,252 41.4 572,851 16.3 54,283 E 1.5 E
Males 1,817,048 F F 580,896 32.0 898,751 49.5 316,030 17.4 F F
Females 1,687,014 50,128 E 3.0 E 789,055 46.8 551,501 32.7 256,821 15.2 39,509 E 2.3 E
55-64 years 2,461,802 F F 905,265 36.8 1,080,720 43.9 429,695 17.5 25,907 E 1.1 E
Males 1,152,384 F F 349,399 30.3 587,186 51.0 196,421 17.0 F F
Females 1,309,418 F F 555,866 42.5 493,534 37.7 233,275 17.8 14,599 E 1.1 E
65-74 years 2,059,918 37,844 E 1.8 E 820,901 39.9 865,097 42.0 305,544 14.8 F F
Males 920,211 F F 337,751 36.7 447,407 48.6 122,486 13.3 F F
Females 1,139,707 31,716 E 2.8 E 483,150 42.4 417,690 36.6 183,058 16.1 F F
75 years and over 1,191,051 77,030 6.5 616,751 51.8 367,196 30.8 111,160 9.3 18,914 E 1.6 E
Males 478,410 10,238 E 2.1 E 268,827 56.2 157,404 32.9 37,090 E 7.8 E F F
Females 712,641 66,792 E 9.4 E 347,925 48.8 209,792 29.4 74,069 10.4 F F
1996/1997  
Total, 18 years and over 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
18-19 years 819,284 37,911 4.6 601,602 73.4 132,945 16.2 31,762 E 3.9 E 15,063 E 1.8 E
Males 402,664 6,451 E 1.6 E 283,131 70.3 86,350 21.4 20,300 E 5.0 E 6,432 E 1.6 E
Females 416,620 31,459 7.6 318,471 76.4 46,595 11.2 F F 8,631 E 2.1 E
20-24 years 1,837,462 86,440 4.7 1,199,674 65.3 407,976 22.2 106,311 5.8 37,062 2.0
Males 948,260 13,234 E 1.4 E 571,394 60.3 292,433 30.8 61,210 6.5 F 1.1 E
Females 889,202 73,205 E 8.2 628,280 70.7 115,543 13.0 45,101 E 5.1 E 27,073 3.0
25-34 years 4,319,326 119,016 2.8 2,297,806 53.2 1,342,033 31.1 439,157 10.2 121,314 2.8
Males 2,208,851 14,932 E 0.7 E 1,009,900 45.7 922,160 41.7 234,193 10.6 27,667 E 1.3 E
Females 2,110,475 104,084 4.9 1,287,906 61.0 419,873 19.9 204,964 9.7 93,647 4.4
35-44 years 5,213,050 81,164 1.6 2,577,570 49.4 1,765,428 33.9 614,344 11.8 174,545 3.3
Males 2,644,862 F F 1,021,711 38.6 1,209,602 45.7 367,028 13.9 30,308 E 1.1 E
Females 2,568,188 64,951 2.5 1,555,858 60.6 555,826 21.6 247,316 9.6 144,237 5.6
45-54 years 3,767,575 43,970 E 1.2 E 1,510,965 40.1 1,500,009 39.8 585,569 15.5 127,063 3.4
Males 1,921,647 F F 599,562 31.2 954,076 49.6 318,874 16.6 40,198 E 2.1 E
Females 1,845,928 35,032 E 1.9 E 911,404 49.4 545,933 29.6 266,695 14.4 86,865 4.7
55-64 years 2,564,965 30,220 E 1.2 E 970,204 37.8 1,068,037 41.6 411,606 16.0 84,898 3.3
Males 1,231,134 F F 397,363 32.3 610,452 49.6 190,694 15.5 21,283 E 1.7 E
Females 1,333,831 18,879 E 1.4 E 572,840 42.9 457,585 34.3 220,911 16.6 63,615 4.8
65-74 years 2,095,818 36,977 1.8 799,817 38.2 875,246 41.8 312,814 14.9 70,965 3.4
Males 929,806 7,115 E 0.8 E 306,067 32.9 452,268 48.6 144,293 15.5 20,063 E 2.2 E
Females 1,166,013 29,862 E 2.6 E 493,750 42.3 422,977 36.3 168,521 14.5 50,902 4.4
75 years and over 1,320,290 67,826 5.1 649,186 49.2 436,435 33.1 117,837 8.9 49,006 3.7
Males 548,869 18,455 E 3.4 E 278,538 50.7 200,006 36.4 41,200 7.5 10,670 E 1.9 E
Females 771,420 49,371 6.4 370,648 48.0 236,429 30.6 76,637 9.9 38,336 5.0
1998/1999  
Total, 18 years and over 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
18-19 years 915,010 70,629 E 7.7 E 657,264 71.8 139,142 15.2 42,694 E 4.7 E F F
Males 459,926 F F 333,125 72.4 92,645 E 20.1 F F F F
Females 455,084 54,434 E 12.0 E 324,139 71.2 46,497 E 10.2 E F F F F
20-24 years 1,894,977 80,582 E 4.3 E 1,252,829 66.1 422,466 22.3 99,832 5.3 F F
Males 970,659 F F 590,758 60.9 303,553 31.3 57,279 E 5.9 E F F
Females 924,318 68,901 E 7.5 E 662,071 71.6 118,912 12.9 42,553 E 4.6 E F F
25-34 years 4,014,035 103,824 2.6 2,089,563 52.1 1,287,650 32.1 482,317 12.0 50,682 E 1.3 E
Males 2,034,597 F F 888,727 43.7 869,305 42.7 249,148 12.2 F F
Females 1,979,438 83,166 E 4.2 E 1,200,835 60.7 418,346 21.1 233,168 11.8 43,923 E 2.2 E
35-44 years 5,396,904 68,274 E 1.3 E 2,551,149 47.3 1,921,095 35.6 787,966 14.6 68,420 E 1.3 E
Males 2,740,807 F F 961,872 35.1 1,319,309 48.1 437,252 16.0 F F
Females 2,656,097 60,466 E 2.3 E 1,589,277 59.8 601,786 22.7 350,714 13.2 53,855 E 2.0 E
45-54 years 3,985,239 55,198 E 1.4 E 1,549,004 38.9 1,593,770 40.0 721,698 18.1 65,570 E 1.6 E
Males 1,953,552 F F 597,566 30.6 956,112 48.9 368,060 18.8 F F
Females 2,031,687 33,852 E 1.7 E 951,437 46.8 637,658 31.4 353,639 17.4 55,101 E 2.7 E
55-64 years 2,691,326 21,016 E 0.8 E 979,821 36.4 1,144,993 42.5 510,935 19.0 34,562 E 1.3 E
Males 1,353,049 F F 403,808 29.8 675,586 49.9 252,219 18.6 F F
Females 1,338,278 F F 576,013 43.0 469,406 35.1 258,717 19.3 23,103 E 1.7 E
65-74 years 1,999,320 43,122 E 2.2 E 753,661 37.7 838,310 41.9 348,471 17.4 F F
Males 905,148 F F 320,671 35.4 412,779 45.6 153,035 16.9 F F
Females 1,094,172 25,331 E 2.3 E 432,990 39.6 425,531 38.9 195,436 17.9 F F
75 years and over 1,488,293 64,688 4.3 718,979 48.3 507,453 34.1 168,526 11.3 28,648 E 1.9 E
Males 612,491 32,892 E 5.4 E 273,212 44.6 239,226 39.1 63,166 E 10.3 E F F
Females 875,802 31,796 E 3.6 E 445,767 50.9 268,227 30.6 105,360 12.0 24,652 E 2.8 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.