Canadian Obesity Advocacy Network (COAN)

The Canadian Obesity Advocacy Network (COAN) is a diverse group of organizations that have come together with the purpose of changing the narrative of obesity in Canada. Participants include health professional associations committed to addressing obesity issues, education, and advocacy.

VISION: To change the Canadian healthcare system and policies to recognize that obesity is a complex chronic disease that deserves to be treated seriously in the same way as other chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

MISSION: To unite and align key organizations and the community around education, policy, and legislative advocacy efforts in order to elevate the obesity as a chronic disease narrative on the national agenda. It is through this change in narrative that people affected by obesity may gain access to the same medically necessary and covered management avenues afforded to all others who suffer from chronic disease.

GOALS: To reduce weight bias and obesity stigma, improve access to evidence-based care, improve standards of quality care and rehabilitation, educate health care professionals, policy makers and the public about obesity as a complex chronic disease.

Strategic Plan

Image showing a diagram with five red boxes outlining goals to address obesity, each box numbered and containing specific strategies such as changing icd codes, education in the curriculum, and protecting patient rights.
Group of eleven professionals, mixed gender, standing in a business meeting room alongside a presentation poster.

Above, you will see the OPEN Canadian team!

Above, is a video from when the Canadian Obesity Advocacy Network (COAN) participates in a global initiative, Obesity Policy Engagement Network (OPEN) meeting in 2019.

REFERENCES:

  1. World Health Organization (2000). Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation (WHO Technical Report Series 894
  2. Statistics Canada. Table: 13-10-0096-01 (formerly CANSIM 105-0508) –  Health characteristics, annual estimates, by age group and sex, Canada, provinces, territories, ( 2015-2019 boundaries), occasional. CANSIM Database.
  3. Statistics Canada. Table 105-0501 – Archived -Health indicator profile, annual estimates, by age group and sex, Canada, provinces, territories, health regions (2003-2014 boundaries) and peer groups, occasional. CANSIM Database.
  4. Obesity Canada. Report Card on Access to Obesity Treatment for Adults in Canada 2017. 
  5. Obesity Canada. Report Card on Access to Obesity Treatment for Adults in Canada 2019.