FIGURE 5.1 A Growing Problem A 2013 study at the University of British Columbia found that, on average, between one-quarter and one-third of Canadians are obese, depending on the region (Gotay et al., 2013). Rates of obesity are highest in the Atlantic provinces, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. These maps show a general, countrywide rise in obesity rates between 2000 and 2011. What could be some reasons for this upward trend?