St. Catharines, Ont. has been ranked Canada's fattest city with a whopping 57.3 per cent of its residents overweight, according to an analysis by Statistics Canada commissioned by CTV and The Globe and Mail.

The southern Ontario city ranked just ahead of Regina at 56.5 per cent while Saint John, N.B. ranked 56.4 per cent and Windsor, Ont. came in at 52.8 per cent.

Rounding out the top 10 fattest cities were:

5. London, Ont.: 53.6 per cent

6. Charlottetown: 52.7

7. Saskatoon: 51.9

8. Winnipeg: 51.8

9. Fredericton: 51.8

10. St. John's, N.S.: 51.4

Nationwide, more than half of Canadians -- 47.9 per cent -- are considered overweight according to the Body-Mass Index (BMI). A BMI of 25 or more is considered overweight.

The study found 15 per cent of Canadians are obese, with a BMI of more than 30.

This is truly alarming, David Lau, president of Obesity Canada, a non-profit group which raises awareness of obesity, told The Globe and Mail.

Almost half of Canadians have a weight problem, but most of them don't fully understand the severe health consequences that await them.

In rural Canada, the problem is even worse. In rural Saskatchewan more than two of every three adults are overweight.

PEI THE FATTEST

By province, Prince Edward Island is ranked the fattest province, with nearly 60 per cent of adults between the ages of 20 and 64 considered overweight. Newfoundland is second at 58.9 per cent, followed by New Brunswick at 58.3 per cent. Saskatchewan isn't far behind at 57.9 per cent.

A person's BMI is calculated by dividing body weight by height.

CTV/The Globe and Mail used StatsCan's National Population Health Survey to compile the rankings. In the survey, Canadians were asked their height and weight.

Fore more on the Fattest Fittest special click on the graphic on the front page.