Lisa Schaffer

Founded in 2006, Obesity Canada, also known as the Canadian Obesity Network (CON-RCO), is a registered national charity dedicated to improving the lives of people living with obesity through research, education, advocacy, and clinical practice. The private company is based in Edmonton, Canada. The organization emphasizes that obesity is a complex, chronic disease primarily driven by biological and genetic factors, and works to reduce weight bias and stigma that create barriers to care and worsen health outcomes. Obesity Canada fosters collaboration among researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and people with lived experience to advance obesity research and translate evidence into improved, compassionate, and culturally safe care. It offers strategic support for research projects, patient engagement, knowledge translation, and advisory expertise aligned with the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline, which promotes personalized, stigma-free, long-term management of obesity through behavioral, pharmacological, and surgical interventions. The organization provides resources for patients, healthcare providers, employers, and researchers, including educational materials, clinical tools, workplace guidance, and patient support communities. It advocates for equitable access to evidence-based treatments and offers guidance on navigating insurance coverage challenges. Obesity Canada leads initiatives to identify research priorities through community-driven approaches and promotes systemic change to improve obesity care and reduce discrimination, while acknowledging traditional Indigenous territories and advancing reconciliation, health justice, and culturally safe care.