The growing obesity rate is putting a strain on the health care system in Ontario, Canada and some individuals in need of weight loss surgery may be forced to go to the United States to have the procedure.

The reason for this is that the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) cannot keep up for the growing demand for surgery, according to a news report in the Toronto Star. OHIP currently funds approximately 500 weight loss surgeries per year – some of which are performed outside of Canada - while the demand is for roughly 3,500. According to Statistics Canada approximately one in four Ontarians is overweight or obese.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care recently announced $3.7 million in funding for weight loss surgeries – a considerable increase over the current funding. This will boost the number of procedures the province will be able to perform by 225, but it will not be enough to address the need.

A growing number of people, frustrated with long wait times for procedures are going over the border to the U.S. for gastric bypass surgery. The procedure is still typically covered by OHIP but at nearly double the cost of having the procedure done in Ontario. At the same, obesity rates are climbing in the United States as well. According to a study conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, in 2004 more than 120,000 weight loss surgeries were performed. If obesity rates continue to rise at their current pace Canadians may not be able to look south of the border for help either.