http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/29-most-obese-countries-in-the-world.html
29 Most Obese Countries In The World
Obesity can be a serious problem and some countries have a bigger obese population than others. The most obese countries include Palau and Nauru in the top spots.
Argentina is at the bottom when it comes to obese population
Though obesity is not a specific disease in itself, it sure is a breeding ground for several ailments and health conditions. A person is considered obese if they have a body mass index of over 30. Approximately 3.4 million adults succumb to death every year for being obese or overweight. The rise of obesity has been gradual but constant across the globe, with a particular 2014 report claiming the presence of close to a billion obese citizens globally. That is double the rate that existed 20 years ago.
Correlation With Economics And Obesity
The most obese countries in the world are not necessarily the richest or most developed. The U.S. and the UK being 12th and 27th on the
CIA’s World Factbook list indicates there’s no direct relationship between obesity and a country’s economic status. In fact, the smaller countries such as Naura, Marshall Islands, Kuwait, Samoa, Palau, etc. have made it to the top 10.
As per World Health Organization, food scarcity and its rising prices are also responsible for obesity in underdeveloped nations such as Venezuela, where the public finds it difficult to eat a balanced, healthy diet. For these people, the option is filling up on the empty calories with junk or fried food.
Adult Obesity in the United States
Though America is not the most obese country in the world, North America still continues to lead the charts. While a majority of other countries that top of the list are small and sparsely populated countries. Mexico and the US continue to top the list in recent years trading spots for number 1 in North America. The United States is the most obese country in North America with 35% of its population having a body max index of over 30.0 Nearly 78 million adults and 13 million children in the United States deal with the health and emotional effects of obesity every day.
According to the CDC an average adult is 26 pounds heavier now than in the 1950’s.
Easily available calorie-rich processed food and little education about nutrition among citizens are the major reasons behind Mexico’s 27.6% obese population. The obesity issues of the country began in the 1980s when vegetables and whole grains started getting replaced by processed food. In the past 5 years, Mexico has taken steps to reduce its obesity rate and has separated itself from toping the list in North America.
World Obesity Rates
As aforementioned, topping the list are small Pacific Island nations such as Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati, to name a few. Approximately four of every five citizens of these countries are obese or overweight. The reason is almost all of the food these island nations are imported and therefore expensive, but fast-food chains offer a cheap and convenient alternative.
They’re closely followed by a string of Middle Eastern nations – Kuwait, Qatar, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. 75 percent of these countries’ population is overweight and well over a third is considered obese. Scorching hot temperatures of up to 40 degree Celsius, regular ‘natural’ exercise such as walking is not common with an increasing embrace for western fast food restaurants in recent years. Traditionally people often share large community platters, making it difficult keep track of portion size.
The African continent is not much in trouble, barring South Africa – a country that’s adopting westernized lifestyles like never before.
Overweigh Gender and Age Disparity
In countries such as the UK, U.S., Australia and Canada, obesity prevails in close to 25 percent of men who are 18 years older or above.
In South-East Asia, Africa, and East Mediterranean locations, obesity among women is almost double the prevalence of obesity in men. The body fat distribution between women and men could be behind these numbers, but studies suggest economic and social factors are also playing a role. In war-torn countries such as Syria, women are invariably restricted to their homes, giving them little scope for sporting activities or recreation.
In 2013, 42 million kids not older than 5 years were reported to be obese. These obesity numbers are burdening, but thankfully the overweight issues could be reversed. The world has now started taking obesity seriously and has unanimously set up an agenda for the control and prevention of the problem.
Most Obese Countries In The World
Rank Country Percentage of population
1 Palau 47.10%
2 Nauru 45.10%
3 Marshall Islands 42.30%
4 Samoa 41.60%
5 Tonga 41.10%
6 Qatar 41.00%
7 Kiribati 40.10%
8 Tuvalu 39.60%
9 Kuwait 38.30%
10 Bahamas, The 36.60%
11 Fiji 35.90%
12 United States 35.00%
13 United Arab Emirates 34.50%
14 Bahrain 34.10%
15 Saudi Arabia 33.70%
16 Barbados 33.20%
17 Micronesia, Federated States of 33.20%
18 Vanuatu 32.90%
19 Trinidad and Tobago 32.30%
20 Andorra 32.10%
21 Libya 31.90%
22 Antigua and Barbuda 31.00%
23 Lebanon 30.80%
24 New Zealand 30.60%
25 Canada 30.10%
26 Australia 29.90%
27 United Kingdom 29.80%
28 Turkey 29.40%
29 Czech Republic 29.10%
- Published: November 2, 2015
