Many Toronto Cops Are Overweight: Study
Sunday December 3, 2006
A recent survey suggests Toronto's finest may not be in the best of shape to be chasing down the bad guys.
The results of a health survey of more than 2,000 officers and civilian employees of the Toronto Police Service show that nearly two-thirds are overweight.
Almost 90 percent of respondents admitted they had poor nutrition habits and 65 percent said they were overweight - 20 percent said they'd been diagnosed as obese. Just under half reported an unhealthy fitness level.
And while jokes about cops and too many doughuts may come to mind, experts say the general public shouldn't judge as it isn't doing much better when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.
The survey was conducted by Connex Health, and the results didn't surprise the organization's president Denise Balch, who suspects the numbers are probably similar in forces across Canada.
"The majority of members are not meeting Canada's Food Guide in terms of nutrition, and we know that not many of them want to change," she said.
Dr. David Lau, president of Obesity Canada, says officers on the street and behind-the-scenes desk workers aren't much different than average Canadians when it comes to health, but added many would expect police constables to pay more attention to their eating and exercise habits.
"We're still dealing with a healthier bunch of folks compared to the average," Lau said.
Statistics Canada figures on the state of our figures may quell your urge to snicker at the cops' results. The national obesity rate almost doubled in the last two decades, jumping from 13 percent in 1978 to 23 percent in 2004.
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair told the Toronto Police Services Board last week that this survey was intended to help the force promote healthier choices and to reduce stress among the ranks.
"We believe the health of all of our employees is something we have a responsibility for, but we want to also assist them to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle," he said.
Obesity in the Toronto police force
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