The 16 Most Obese Countries in the World
The United States gets a lot of bad publicity from being the World’s Most Obese country, however that is far from the truth. The United States is actually the 17th most obese country in the world. What is causing the huge influx in obesity around the world? The increased presence of fast-food restaurants worldwide.
See who made the list of the Most Obese Countries in the World:
16. Belize – 20.6% of the entire country is obese while more than 50% is overweight.
15. Jordan– 40% of the country is considered obese which most of them being children.
14. United Arab Emirates (UAB)– 34.5% of the population is obese while 70% of the population is overweight.
13. Egypt– 35% of all Egyptian adults are obese while 10% of children are overweight.
12. Marshall Islands (between Hawaii and the Philippines)– 42.3% of the population is obese while 74.9% of the population is overweight.
11. Qatar– 70% of the population is considered to be overweight and/or obese.
10. Tuvalu– 39.6% of the population is obese while 72.1% of the population is overweight.
9. Federated States of Micronesia (600 islands located in the Western Pacific Ocean)– 59% of the population is obese while 88% of the adults are overweight.
8. Palau (located in the South Pacific)– 47.1% of the population is obese.
7. Kiribati (located in the Central Pacific Ocean)– 40.1% of the population is obese while 72.3% of the population is overweight.
6. Saint Lucia– 27% of the population is obese while 57.4% are considered overweight.
5. Saint Kitts– 28.4% of the population is obese while 59.1% is overweight.
4. Kuwait- 42.8% of the population is obese.
3. Samoa– 80.4% of the population is obese or overweight.
2. Tonga (located in the South Pacific)– 45.9% of the men are obese while 69.1% of the women are obese.
1. Nauru (located north of Australia)– 71% of the population is obese while 97% of men are overweight.
Obesity Facts
Over one-third of all adults in the United States struggle with obesity. Obesity is a serious issue not only in the United States but all around the world. Studies have shown that children of obese parents usually end up struggling with obesity as adults. A recent study discovered that 17% of children between the ages of 2 to 19 already struggle with obesity. The main concern with obesity is the fact that it leads to many other complications such as diabetes, heart problems, and cancer just to name a few. Doctors who specialize in treating obesity found a correlation between waist size and obesity. The more your waist size increases, the better your chances of getting diabetes. Overall obesity seems to be most common in middle-aged adults. However, a very interesting fact is that middle-aged women are more likely to struggle with obese more than middle-aged men. As a matter of fact, a recent study determined that 40% of all middle-aged women are struggling with obesity while only 35% of middle-aged men struggle with obesity. The more concerning fact is that every state in the United States has an obesity rate of at least 20%. The southern states of the United States are the states with the highest number of people struggling with obesity. Colorado is the state with the lowest obesity rate in the country.
Why are Obesity Rates Increasing
Obesity rates have been on the rise for many years now. There are many reasons that are contributing to this huge influx in obesity. For starters, people are consuming more daily calories than ever before. Technology has also contributed to the rise in obesity rates. For example, today you don’t even have to go out to pick up fast food. You simply use your phone to order the fast food and have it delivered to your home. So it is more convenient and requires less effort. You have to think twice before having to travel in traffic to pickup food but when it’s done at the click of a button, there is not much thinking involved. Another technology factor that contributes to the increase in obesity rates is online streaming. In the past, if you wanted to watch a movie, you would have to go out to a movie theatre or to a movie rental store. Today you simply go on your smart tv and you can rent or purchase a movie without moving from your couch. While technology has improved our lives greatly it has also affected us in negative ways.
Obesity is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. It is highly recommended to visit your doctor for regular check-ups to ensure you do not run into any long-term issues.
