Sandra Elia struggled with obesity for more than 15 years. At her heaviest, she weighed 260 pounds on a 5’2” frame. She was depressed, lost in a cycle of restrictive dieting and rebound weight-gain, and went on disability from her job at a consulting firm.
Eventually she lost 100 pounds, thanks in part to Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step program for people with food addiction. “That was the first time I treated my weight and eating as an addiction and let go of counting calories,” she says.
“I’ve lived two lives,” continues Elia, a food addiction counsellor and board chair of Obesity Matters, a Canadian non-profit focused on advocacy, education and support for people living with obesity. “One as a woman living with severe obesity who was spiraling out of control, and one as a healthy, thriving woman who now helps others understand that obesity is not a failure of character or willpower—it’s a complex, chronic disease.”
Losing weight isn’t as simple as eating less or hitting the gym—for many people, it’s a long, difficult struggle shaped by genetics, environment and mental health. “You can’t treat obesity with yoga classes and salad bars, though they are excellent perks. You need real solutions for a real disease,” says Elia.
The most recent data from Statistics Canada reports that almost two-thirds of Canadian adults are classified as obese (30 per cent) or overweight (36 per cent). The costs are staggering—an estimated $21.7 billion annually due to absenteeism, presenteeism, lower workforce participation and premature death, and $5.9 billion in health system costs, according to Obesity Canada.
Yet many employers remain unsure how to respond, lacking the tools, policies or understanding to help. “Employers want to support employees, but they don’t yet know how to respond to weight management as a benefit issue or a health concern,” says Roger Thorpe, President of Toronto-based Thorpe Benefits, a member firm of Benefits Alliance.
Yet employers that do choose to take a leadership role “often find their culture gets a boost they never expected,” emphasizes Thorpe. “It’s not just about cost savings, it’s about employee trust and retention.”
Cost of inaction
Obesity is linked to 200 comorbidities, including Type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, chronic pain, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety and dementia. Beneva’s 2025 report, Connecting the Dots , reports that obesity and related conditions account for nearly one-third of prescription drug-benefit costs.
People with obesity also face social, psychological and financial repercussions due to stigma and discrimination. Multiple research studies confirm that people with obesity are less likely to be hired and promoted, and often make less money. Fifty-four per cent of adults with obesity report being stigmatized by coworkers, according to Obesity Canada.
“If 60 per cent of the population is living with overweight or obesity, and we’re not treating it, we’re setting up workplaces for higher turnover, lower productivity, and burnout,” says Elia. “At the end of the day, you can’t build a thriving business on an unwell workforce.”
Impact of weight-loss drugs
New medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound can be game-changers, helping people with obesity lose as much as 20 per cent of their body weight. But when the topic of covering these medications comes up in benefit discussions, employers often admit they “don’t know what to do,” says Thorpe. They fear that benefits costs “could blow up” due to high demand from employees and family members. As a result, many do not include weight-loss medications in their plan or approve them only for individuals with comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, he says.
A 2025 survey from the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans found that virtually none of the surveyed Canadian employers covered GLP-1 drugs for weight loss only (GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic were initially developed for type 2 diabetes, with spin-off medications such as Wegovy for weight loss only). Obesity Canada reports that fewer than 20 per cent of Canadians with private drug benefit plans can access coverage for weight-loss medications approved by Health Canada.
Among the relative few that do cover Wegovy, uptake has been strong. Beneva reimbursed $10.2 million in claims during Wegovy’s first eight months on the market in 2024 and predicts this will more than double in 2025, representing approximately five per cent of total drug costs.
Elias urges employers to cover the weight-loss medications because they reduce health risks, enhance wellbeing and improve mental health. In turn, productivity increases and absenteeism and presenteeism decline—and costs will go down in other areas of the health benefits plan. “If you’re not covering obesity treatment, the message is clear—you don’t think it’s a real medical condition,” she says.
Taking action
It’s important for employers to take action, even if they aren’t yet ready to cover the new weight-loss drugs, says Thorpe. “Don’t go the route of doing nothing. That’s a message that says, ‘I don’t care. You’re on your own.’”
Employers can create psychologically safe spaces where employees feel comfortable enough to discuss their health concerns. “Psychological safety is the starting line,” he says. “If people are afraid of being judged or penalized, they won’t speak up—and they won’t seek help.”
Thorpe advises companies to begin with educational activities such as webinars and sharing articles on the topic, anonymous surveys to identify employee needs and the promotion of employee-assistance program resources related to obesity and stress.
Employers can take advantage of Obesity Matters’ virtual program, featuring monthly workshops with top Canadian obesity specialists, notes Elia. “It ensures employees—no matter where they live—can access real expertise.” Employers can also access resources at Obesity Canada’s website, built around the following five core strategies:
- Recognize obesity as a chronic disease. Obesity results from a combination of genetics, environment, and social factors. It’s not a lifestyle failure — it’s a medical condition.
- Evaluate workplace bias. Inclusivity starts with design and language. Audit your workplace for signs of stigma in hiring, onboarding, team-building, uniforms, seating and promotion pathways.
- Prioritize chronic disease support. Create wellness programs that go deeper than gym memberships and step challenges by addressing stress, food addiction and mental health.
- Train HR and leadership. Educate managers on how to talk to employees respectfully and legally about obesity.
- Expand benefits. Include weight-loss medications, nutrition counselling and psychological support in your benefits plan. Support medical leave for bariatric surgery and recovery.