Novo Nordisk Alberta Diabetes Fund (NOVAD)
The University Hospital Foundation (UHF), Novo Nordisk and the Government of Alberta created the Novo Nordisk Alberta Diabetes Fund (NOVAD) in 2018. NOVAD continues to support obesity and diabetes research and innovation with the ultimate goal of achieving measurable health, economic and social impacts.

Diabetes 
In Alberta, 26% of the population live with diabetes or prediabetes.[1] Diabetes health-care costs are $436 million per year, with 80% attributed to treating the complications of the disease, including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation. Both diabetes and obesity increase risk for several chronic illnesses including cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in Alberta.

Obesity
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Alberta is 59.1%, with 35.2% of these individuals being overweight and 23.9% being obese.[2] In 2005, the total direct and indirect cost of illnesses attributable to obesity was estimated at $1.27 billion.[3] People living with being overweight and those with obesity have increased risk for chronic conditions including: asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, heart disease, depression and anxiety and osteoarthritis.

[1] https://www.diabetes.ca/DiabetesCanadaWebsite/media/Advocacy-and-Policy/Backgrounder/2022_Backgrounder_Alberta_1.pdf
[2] https://hqca.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HQCA_Obesity_Fact_Sheet_July-2015.pdf
[3] https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/poph/hi-poph-surv-phids-cost-of-obesity-2010.pdf