NationMaster - Discussion - Health

Earl Yamada 29th March 2013	Interesting FACTS! 7,671 average Die each day from obesity related illnesses. $4.2 Billion is spent on fast food avertising $1.6 is spent on TARGETING CHILDREN! 24 million Children are obese! $175 million is spent by LOBBYIST TO HIDE THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY!!! $500 Billion with a B was spent by taxpayers (you) last year on obesity related illnesses. FIGHT the obesity epidemic. Fight the war on obesity. our company has a bold statement "WE HAVE THE SOLUTION" We are the Challenge, I am the FACE OF OBESITY.
jon 26th March 2013	i think its a bit racist to say that blacks and hispanics are the majority especially when they are the minority in the states
Liam Byrne 11th February 2013	I like doodle!
Derek 4th February 2013	Not trying to be rude to all the people commenting on here... but the source for this statistic was in 2005. Not saying it's changed a whole lot, however you might want to check it just in case you're about to make yourself look ignorant. :/
MK 5th January 2013	Obesity is a concern due to improper food habits
Peter 3rd January 2013	I'm a Slovak, (not obese myself) and I'm looking at all these comments from other Slovaks and it makes me think twice. It’s just ridiculous how they are stating that it can’t be true or it’s fake that we are fourth in the table above. Well, it’s not a joke neither is it fake. Don’t get me wrong, I must admit I was shocked myself when I saw the stats, but then again it just made me think about the bigger picture of obesity in my home country where I lived for 13 years. The current population of Slovakia is around 5.5 million. This therefore makes it easier to believe that more than 20% of Slovaks are obese in comparison to much larger countries such as USA, Mexico or United Kingdom. I will give several examples why I believe we are doing so badly in terms of growing obesity rates. I will start off with our diet. We eat rather healthy and most of our products are fresh made. E.g. Eggs are free range and so is the milk. However, in Slovakia, you get large portions everywhere you go. This ranges from schools (having impact on young individuals) to restaurants. In addition, during holy periods in our calendar such as Christmas or Easter, we tend to prepare huge amounts of food. Most of it is fried and thus a large amount of oil is consumed affecting almost everyone as above 80% of Slovaks are Christian and they celebrate Christmas and Easter. People like Parlinka and Tamara Saskova who have contributed in this debate should think twice about what they write. Lukas made a decent point when he mentioned that as we start to work, we participate in less sports activity. I would also like to add to that. “Back in my day” when I attended a sports gymnasium (another name for a school/college combined together) in Kosice (2nd largest city in SVK) it was compulsory to do a sport and in order to get in the gymnasium you had to pass several exams that were knowledge based and several tests that were based on your physical ability. Now this was back in 2002, when I left Slovakia in 2006 to live in the UK, my mates told me that later on there was a “non sporting” class introduced in a sports gymnasium. Which made no sense to me and I remained in shock even though it didn’t affect me no more. It just goes to show, if this is what happens in Sports gymnasium, what had gone on in normal schools? Lastly, by no means have I tried to state that everyone is fat and obese in Slovakia. But we need to consider, well our government should, that there should be more schemes introduced to stop us climbing up this horrendous ladder above and finally realise that if we keep going the way we are we will overtake others and become leaders.  Peace out and go for a jog! 
rubes 23rd December 2012	What is considered obese? I am a bit taller than 160 cm and weigh 57 kg, but I'm only 12. Is that obese for my age? I do play lots of sport though and am fastest in my school, please answer!
buk lau 2nd December 2012	abdi america is a clear example jokes
Anonymous 29th November 2012	This is heavily bias. There are countries with a much higher obesity rate than the US. American Samoa for example has an obesity rate of 93.5%. Obesity there is out of control.
mizz princess 5th November 2012	Fancy the united states having the most fat people!!! that is so funny. i'm from england
that guy 23rd October 2012	wow. new zealand is 7th. that's scary, especially because we are such a small country.
Rich Bishop 14th October 2012	Chemicals in our foods are making us obese, that along with portion sizes and oversized sugar drinks. Try the best app out there to help you make good food choices and at least help educate you on what is in your food. INRFOOD Available in iTunes Store and Google Play for Android users.
cHerrera 3rd October 2012	woah alot of big words being used here
Eddie 3rd October 2012	Please go Vegan and go healthy.
Steve 1st October 2012	I too am Obese. I have 48' chest, lift weights and a 36' waist and very little fat, yet due to my weight and BMI, I am obese. I would take on this except it means nothing to me even when my health advisor admits that the index is wrong
JOHN 23rd September 2012	Australia beats N.Z yet again
Alex 30th August 2012	What about american Samoa i think they have a lot obese
Al 23rd August 2012	These other countries aren't pumping there food full of antibiotics, hormones, and high fructose corn syrup. The U.S. probably has the most processed food. It all leads to weight gain.
muna 18th August 2012	Thanks for the informtion , but it is old .nd the BMI is the worse thing to get the correct statistic it is not more usefull,because beople who has ery good health and very big muscles has the highest bmi because muscles are heavier than fat . better is the waist-hip ratio calculation ,for the health ,because not all thin people ae healthy and not all obese are sik . I do not know if the statistic has been done in the USA for immigrant from all bove contries ,or the resorce statistic is from the contries themselves . I hope to renew the statistic to provide us with the latest informations and the correct ones .regards .muna
horstjakob 15th August 2012	So what are the Czechs doing differently than the Slovaks?
Jacob 15th August 2012	They need to figure out a new way to measure this. BMI is an awful way to dictate if someone is overweight and unhealthy. Me and a couple of friends do bodybuilding competitions and because I'm 6'0" and weigh 230lbs the government considers me obese and forces me to pay extra for my health insurance.
FatNewWOrld 10th August 2012	Why is china not on here? They are around 230 million obese people out of 1.3billion. It's around 17% and rising. And where is Brazil?
Not An Idiot 7th August 2012	BMI doesn't measure obesity, whoever thinks that. BODY MASS. That means SIZE. Come on people, how could you be so thick? BMI is NOT an accurate measure of obesity.
Shah Hadi 15th June 2012	I had lost my JOB/Business in June 2007 and was stressed tooooo much, had been A&E 4 times with chest pain.I am 5'22'' and I was 9.45st. After that I became 11.5st within 2 months. Thanks Allah (God) and Forever Nutri-Lean, I have back to my normal weight moving in between 9.5-10.5st. I used to eat too much and more freequent, especially my SUPPER WAS AT 10PM+ after finishing work. My weight management keys / top tips are: 1) Dissipline eating habit: a) Brakfast 06:30-07:30am b)Lunch: 12:30-01:30 c) Supper: 07:30-08:30 2) Drink Forever Living Products's ALoe vera Gel: 2 ounce twice a day before meal 3) Forever Living Product's Artic Sea Super Omega-3 : One twice a day just before food Please note I also check my BMI every week: http://www.obesitymanageby2020.myforever.biz/nutrilean/calculators/bmi.html Shah Hadi London, UK E-mail: daretosoar92@hotmail.com
Amy Jackson 11th June 2012	Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003 during which he ate only McDonald's food. The film documents this lifestyle's drastic effect on Spurlock's physical and psychological well-being, and explores the fast food industry's corporate influence, including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit. Spurlock dined at McDonald's restaurants three times per day, eating every item on the chain's menu at least once. Spurlock consumed an average of 20.92 megajoules or 5,000 kcal (the equivalent of 9.26 Big Macs) per day during the experiment. As a result, the then-32-year-old Spurlock gained 24½ lbs. (11.1 kg), a 13% body mass increase, a cholesterol level of 230, and experienced mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and fat accumulation in his liver. It took Spurlock fourteen months to lose the weight gained from his experiment using a vegan diet supervised by his future wife, a chef who specializes in gourmet vegan dishes. The reason for Spurlock's investigation was the increasing spread of obesity throughout U.S. society, which the Surgeon General has declared "epidemic," and the corresponding lawsuit brought against McDonald's on behalf of two overweight girls, who, it was alleged, became obese as a result of eating McDonald's food [Pelman v. McDonald's Corp., 237 F. Supp. 2d 512].[3] Spurlock points out that although the lawsuit against McDonald's failed (and subsequently many state legislatures have legislated against product liability actions against producers and distributors of "fast food"), much of the same criticism leveled against the tobacco companies applies to fast food franchises whose product is both physiologically addictive and physically harmful.[4][5] The documentary was nominated for an Academy Award for Documentary Feature.[6] A comic book related to the movie has been made with Dark Horse as the publisher. It contains stories about various cases of fast food health scares.[7]
tyza SPC 10th June 2012	people will just keep getting fat
Chram Ing 7th June 2012	this is a really sad fact. that we live in a time period were people has regressed to thinking being fat is okay when it is not. healthy safe for others and doesn't even look good.
Aperson 5th June 2012	I seriously didn't believe the obesity statistics when I was in high school. I am from a small town in the Pacific Northwest and almost everyone in my town ran, swam, snowboarded, skied, hiked, and the like. We had maybe one or two fat people in my entire high school and like 5 chubby people out of 700 students. Everyone else was fit and muscular. It was funny, one year we had a Spanish exchange student and she was astounded that almost everyone she saw was athletic. She was told before she came to our country that everyone was a big fatty (her words, not mine). I looked at her like she was out of her mind. Even looking after looking at pictures from my grandmother's era (1930's, 1940's)because I had heard that people were getting fatter, to me people looked the same weight then as they did now. I seriously didn't know where people were getting their statistics. I honestly thought that the averages were off kilter because of a few outlier extremely obese people throwing off the curve (i.e. 5'4" 600 pounder averaged in with three or four 5'4" 120 pounders--that average would tell anyone that the average person in the room is obese!). Flash forward ten years later, I joined the military and got the see the rest of the country (I had never really been outside of the West Coast--9 out of 10 people I saw looked muscular, in shape, or skinny). I'm a believer now. Let's just say that I now live in a part of the country (I won't say, I don't want to start a flame war) where even if you're 20 pounds overweight, you're one of the skinny people.
Ancient Dumascus 5th June 2012	America is very well diverse culturally and ethnically no wonder we are extremely adundant in commercial food that are harmful to our health...
Roseline Muoneme 5th June 2012	I'm currently, studying pattern and trends in health and illness in health and inequality. i was unaware what people think of obesity i can now tell you that after i have read comment here i'm half way through my research as feedback works well with me. Obese isn't only what you take in but could be generational thing. You never know alcohol consumption have massive influence.
Adithya 23rd May 2012	hello everybody,Main reasonsfor obesity are computers and veichels !!
Maria 29th April 2012	Where is South Africa?
kevin 22nd April 2012	i bet the sumo wrestlers are the only obese people in japan
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Rick Parker 5th April 2012	What you wont see in this and most other articles is the table of standards that the UN uses to clasify "obese". Take a look, Tom Cruise is obese because for his height he is too heavy...get it? hmm.. if you average the worlds people you will find there are so many starving people that the average weight per height is very skinny......sooo that means if you are well fed and healthy, youre going to be much heavier than 90% of Africa, and Indonesia, and China fot that matter...Check the table of weights ! I am 6'1" and 190 pounds...guess what weight class I am in?
Outdated 30th March 2012	The data used is from 2005. I think things have changed a tiny but in the past 7 years...
Gabby 21st March 2012	Keep in mind that this list is of MAJOR ECONOMIES. So naturally places like Nauru won't be included.
sak 18th February 2012	Surprisingly not so many asian countries. Being from over populated south asia, I have seen plenty of moderately fat people but never people who are really obease. I think its to do with the kind of spicy diet that itself burns lots of calories.....
Ellen 17th February 2012	If you are sitting there reading these words that means you aren't exercising or planning a healthy meal.
Rioku 10th February 2012	Hmm, and I thought Africa would have been on the bottom
Sheri 10th February 2012	There's one important thing I hardly ever see mentioned when talking about what causes people to gain weight, especially poor people. You can educate all you want on what foods are healthy but if a family buys fresh or even frozen veggies and fruits, they cost a lot and don't last very long. When a family has to make sure they eat and feed their children so they aren't going to bed hungry but they don't have enough money to make it through the month, they have to buy what's cheapest yet goes the farthest. Unfortunately starchy foods are cheapest and will feed many hungry mouths. Mac and Cheese, Ramon Noodles, Spaghetti and sauce, breads, cheap lunch meats and intimation cheeses. Potatoes, hot dogs, anything you can buy cheaply and feed a family, then save leftovers to feed them again will help that family get through the month. Buying the stuff more well to do people are able to buy for meals will leave a family living in poverty with no food for at least a quarter of any given month. We can judge all we want and say, 'yeah, we know they're drinking pop and eating candy and so on', and I agree, but I'll be willing to bet that anyone writing on this forum has eaten at least one sweet in the last couple of days. How dare we tell poor people who can't afford to give their children nice things that they can't allow them to enjoy a few simple things in life now and then. Instead, we not only talk about how far down on the poll they are, we do everything to keep them there by putting even more rules, judgements and put downs until their children begin to feel like they'll never become anything because they're poor, don't deserve anything because they're poor, shouldn't have anything because they're poor. Depression alone can lead to being overweight. I can't make everyone believe the same way I do, but as a Christian, I honestly believe we all spend far too much time looking at others because that's easier than looking at our own short comings in this life. Not all poor families are eating at fast food places. When we start grouping everyone living in poverty into one big pot of, 'I know why they are the way they are', we fail to see them as human beings that feel pain just the same as any of the rest of us. All blondes are not dumb, Polish people know how to screw in light bulbs, All blacks and Mexicans aren't in gangs. All southern people don't make moonshine in the back woods and all whites don't walk around thinking their poop never stinks. You just can't generalize a group of people into what you want them to be and why you want them to be it just so we have a reason to put them down! All homeless people are not alcoholics or drug addicts either. 'There but for the grace of God go I'.
Jacob 30th January 2012	the president needs to whip us in shape
KatrinaMK 29th January 2012	With just over 1.3 billion people, China is the worlds largest, most populous country. The population of America is right around 307 million people. That is a difference of about 693 million people. The fact that 2/3 of the American populous is obese greatly outweighs the obesity rate of China when you compare the percentage of the two.
Als 25th January 2012	@Ethan Seriously, even if you're right there are 1.2 billion people in China, 200 million makes about 16%, still half the proportion of the US. And the study was is only on OECD countries, of which China isn't part.
Byron 17th January 2012	Obciouslsy it's only listing countries with major populations. So Nauru didn't make the cut.
mukesh 12th January 2012	hey friends who want to reduce your fat in natural way and who want to maintainance your body just visit this mail I.D mukeshroshan09@gmail.com and it gives a wonderful opportunity to earn bucks in a simple way that is work from home ask me how
Omar 12th January 2012	Actually we dont have the best military. of we were to go to war with israel, wed get our asses kicked almost as bad as germany was by the end of WWI
JDX 8th January 2012	My ex-wife moved from Toronto to a town outside of Little Rock, Arkansas for a new job. That was 4 years ago. She went from around 160 to somewhere in the 230-250 range, in that time frame. I've visited her - the whole lifestyle revolves around anticipation of the next meal. Obesity among adults is so common that it is the thin people that have jokes made at their expense. I've never seen anything like it. Everyone seems to accept that at some point in their adult life they will all inevitably have diabetis, knee/ankle problems and probably buy an electric scooter.
Ty 8th January 2012	Okay so America is #1 on this...where are all of these other countries statistics???. We may be fat, but we also have the best military. Funny right?
TheUKGuy 5th January 2012	Taking into account both overweight and obesity, USA and UK have OVER two-thirds of the population in these two categories. Now that is something to ponder.
ian grahm 4th January 2012	that is just shocking
Canadian 2nd January 2012	@American No, blame the people who eat from the fast food chains. Meaning, Canada has lots of fast food, yet we are half the obesity percentage as the States. So sure, blame the place making the food for putting you guys all in that hole, but I think the people taking the food are often left out of the issue.
NeeL Netherlands 27th December 2011	The top nine European countries (U.K. to Germany) have a weighted average of 16.698 % (225.116.358 people in total) based on these stats. Of course you should add the rest of the countries (Portugal, Finland, Iceland, Turkey, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland) but I was getting tired/bored. If I can make an educated guess, I would say that the rest of the Europe countries in these stats would have a total of 150 million people and a weighted average of 9%. That makes the total all the Europe countries in here would come to 13-14%
G 23rd November 2011	@ Herp, if you added all the european percentages together you would have to divided by the same number as all the percentages you added. So it would mean the percentage would be way less than the US. (Or i did not understand your comment)
Herp 23rd November 2011	Now add all of the European percentages together.
LenaB 23rd November 2011	@ Penny in US, Mexico is probably obese because of it's culture surrounding food (although it is somewhat similar to the US), in Mexico (as one of my hispanic friends told me) they really encourage eating, even when full. Whereas, America is obese due a combination of lack of physical activity and cultural idea that you should eat as a past time activity (although there are many other factors that contribute). Also both countries have lower standards of food. Look at Europe, they are way stricter about what they eat in the way of pesticides and such which makes food expensive (also a lot of Europe cultures consider it impolite to "eat your fill" which America and Mexico are the opposite on). In America food is cheap, making it easier for people to overload. Basically Mexico isn't fat because of people coming into the US, the US and Mexico just have very similar attitudes toward food. That is why RDs is the US are looking at intuitive eating to fix the obesity rates in the US, because intuitive eating says you don't eat when you aren't hungry.
Penny in US 22nd November 2011	Is Mexico 2nd due to them coming here so much? The big surprise is that the Brits can get fat on food that tastes terrible.
Dawn 16th November 2011	Alex : of course India and China are not in this list, there are no obese people there, almost all of them have a "physical work", they can't get bigger this easily.
Lisa 15th November 2011	Is this present? and it's really schoking at how much Australia is near the top... We should really reduce it :
Antifides 14th November 2011	@erin The obesity rate is 30%. That means the majority of EVERYONE in the United States is not obese. So assuming the distribution is even across all races, the majority of Mexicans would still not be obese, along with every other race/nationality.
Martin 11th November 2011	The UK is one of the countries that generates the stats from doctor's exams, and health care is free to all legally resident in the UK. This might lead to over-reporting compared to countries where unhealthy, uninsured people would have to pay to see the doctor.
brian 8th November 2011	anyone got a source for all this information?
Erica. 3rd November 2011	It's not all McDonald's fault, we can choose to go there or not.
nico1011 2nd November 2011	Im 167 cm i weigh 170 pounds.. In Vietnam they call me super fat In China.. they call me fat.. In Philippines.. they call me chubby In Japan they thought i was kinda fat BUT When i went to US.. they never notice for once how fat i was.. And i was like OK.. 30.6% FAT in US.. that explains it.. And i was beside a 200 pound American guy.. i looked nothing but a stick
CS 30th October 2011	As usual hate mongers at work in this forum. There are not that many blacks in the U.S. to dominate any statistics, which is always biased. Blacks only make up 50% or more in two of the 50 states (DC) and one is simply a single town in GA (Atlanta). So when it comes to being more than anything (except being sent to prison more for the same crimes others get community service for), blacks do not lead in anything negative as most would like to believe and insinuate.
Jason 14th October 2011	BMI stats dont mean much anyway, if you only used peoples height/weight ratio's then most of the worlds athletes and sports peoples would be either obese or overweight.....
Lucia 11th October 2011	Cant see many fat people in Slovakia... In fact, most of the people i can see in the streets, or wherever, are skinny as hell.
Anon 28th September 2011	Please update with 2011 statistics!!!!!
JC 20th September 2011	Have you ever gone to a Walmart in the South? Lots of wide white assess!!!
bing bop 14th September 2011	Mexicans and blacks account for the majority of fat asses in the United States
JASON 11th September 2011	Xathos, that is ridiculous! People don't go to MacDonalds because it is cheap. It is not cheap. It is cheaper to buy healthy food at the grocery store. What planet do you live on????? People eat junk food because they are ignorant or don't care (more likely). People know obesity kills. They don't care. Gluttony has consequences.
Consider the Factor 11th September 2011	As stated in the article's definition: "health examinations are only conducted regularly in a few countries" "ONLY CONDUCTED REGULARLY IN A FEW COUNTRIES"
d to the s 11th September 2011	22 of the top 30 countries are white?/ Why are those people so lazy?
kaq 3rd September 2011	Americans need to stop going to fast food places and committing gluttony and start hitting the gym those fat f****
ak 3rd September 2011	its funny how most of the country's are european country i wonder why
Pralinka 26th August 2011	That´s amusing. Slovakia can´t be 4th. Good as a joke.
kat 26th August 2011	come on:D u compare slovakia that has the population of about 5.5 millions and usa with about 312 millions?:D
Neith74 26th August 2011	Slovakia on 4th place? I don't believe. I live there and I think it's not true..
asdfghjkl 24th August 2011	Is it really true that the US who has the most number of obese children? OUCH!! Anyways, so Philippines is not a part? thanks lots!
Tamara Saskova 21st August 2011	I am from Slovakia. Its fake. Its not true.
Mark 17th August 2011	Do you map against diets (i.e. fish/meat) in any of these stats so we determine what's best to eat?
Natalia. 16th August 2011	I'm proud for Russia, because we are not in this list despite the fact that we're the bigest country in the world. For Americans became the normal to eat fastfood for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Unlike Russia, it's so savage feeding like this.
Mark 16th August 2011	That's right, obesity is highest among third-world populations. Blacks, Hispanics and Pacific Islanders are the most obese Americans. Pacific Island nations are the most obese, Nauru is nearly 100% obese. http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/fattest-place-earth-12533987
Lady 28th July 2011	Actually, obesity is highest among blacks. Generally, the poorer a person is, the fatter they are. They buy cheap food, and cheap food in the US makes you fat. All that HFCS and whatever the hell else they put in it. Poorer people are also more likely to eat fast food.
hyyrak 24th July 2011	It is not immigrant and minorities that have higher obesity rates in the US. Actually Whites have higher obesity rates than Asians if you look at a CDC report http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=1&cat=2&ind=91 and also immigrants tend to have lower obesity rates and better health outcomes in general and the length of residence in US actually is highly associated with increased BMI among recent immigrants. To blame obesity in the US to immigrants and minority is not correct.
Steve 22nd July 2011	The US has a the highest obesity rate due to the large immigrant and minority populations whose decisions on what foods to eat are dictated by their lower incomes. While diet and exercise maybe lower than in other countries that is changing based on increased educations and a new generation who is very much concerned about health and exercise. It is a shame that people look at these statistics and make a general claim about America. It is unfair to think that all Americans are fat. The obesity problem originates in the southern area of the country which has high numbers of immigrants and minorities.
I Am Skinny 18th July 2011	USA are Full Of Fattys, Its Unbelievable. A BIg Burger To Me Is A Pea To Them. And They Look Like If You Touch Them They'd Be Sticky!
/b/ 18th July 2011	My /b/rothers brought me here.
random fact man 15th July 2011	brent south africa is probably 1 of the least obese nations
TJ 10th July 2011	USA ARE FATTYS!
Obama 7th July 2011	USA #1 USA! USA! USA!
Hans 7th July 2011	Where is Nauru?
Brent 5th July 2011	I heard once that South Africa was the most obese nation? Where is Africa in these statistics?
cuttingthroughthematrix.com 4th July 2011	It's the GMO food people. That's most certainly a contributing factor
susan 22nd May 2011	wow. i need to move to south korea. since there are practically no obese people there, it could be easy to lose weight.
x 20th May 2011	to all those fat people saying they have issues with their bodies that makes them fat, I had to do a research paper for my college class on obesity. According to a ridiculous amount of viable sources, 99% of obesity is due to lack of excersize, depression, and eating too much
curtis Goodley 11th May 2011	hi im from new zealand and i would like to know if u have any 2011 copy because i am doing a speech on obesity in new zealand and want know what we are listed
Patrick 5th May 2011	Kathy, the link you provided uses BMI of 25. This list uses one of 30.
dali 4th May 2011	who had the experice in being obese
not jesse 4th May 2011	im 224 and im 4 10 do any of you guys consider that fat.
Fit&Sexy 3rd May 2011	In my opinion it's not so much the food we eat, it is the inactivity, the sedendtary lifestyle. People don't physically more around enough. They never walk, never take the stairs, always drive on short trips instead of walk, they drive and park nearest the closest door. It's the norm, in Amercia to behave like this. 99% of people will take elevators or escalators even for a few floors. There is a segment of the population that enjoys fun exercise, such as competitive sports, as opposed to some boring gym membership. Activity has to be build into your daily routine not just a drive and park your car at the gym for 30 mins.
Corbang Jillson 26th April 2011	Obesity is like a vast STD that sweeps the nation in a constant proliferation of clogged arteries and heart defects! Its just sick and wrong that so many people can get to the point where only a forklift can transport them to a doctors office! ( Which is really the zoo because that is the only place with large enough equipment to adequately provide for these monsters called "big boned" human disgraces!)
Kathy 25th April 2011	I found different statistics on this subject by Forbes at: http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife-cx_ls_0208worldfat_2.html How do you explain your figures compared to theirs?
mnms 16th April 2011	Simple formula for obesity and the health problems that follow : Processed so called "food" + sodas + overeating + lack of exercise = OBESE !! For those who blame genes , you can still manage your weight with a healthy lifestyle !! Why do you think healthcare is so expensive in USA ?? Because the healthcare people know they will find a large population of obese people and can become rich !!! Get real people !!!
Tim Reel 24th March 2011	I have an obesity fetish, so i enjoy seeing these growing rates
;-)) 22nd March 2011	in korea ,,,korean women who is over 50kg is consider as fat very hard to see obesity people in the street ;-) also hard to buy big size cloth too KIM CHI and korean food is most healthest food in the world
TAMAR929 19th March 2011	to loose weight. 1. increase your water intake by 50 percent. 2. lift weights, walk 1.5 miles each evening. 3. Eat at least 4 pieces of raw fruit a day. 4. Juice raw veg. about 3 days a week. 5. limit sugar and salt intake. 6. increase meals from 3 to six. 7. sleep more hrs.
TAMAR929 19th March 2011	Americans eat too damn much point blank. If you go overseas, you don't see people as big as you see in the US. In many countries around the world, people eat a huge meal at lunch time and a small meal at dinner time. In the US, it is just the opposite. People get up in the morning and eat a meal filled with a lot of sugar, drinking a high sugar loaded drink either oj or coffee. Go to work and hit the vending machine, for lunch cheap fast food filled with fat and sugar, two hrs later they are hungry again so they hit the vending machine and the coffee pot and when they get home they eat a huge meal and watch American idol while drinking a glass of wine - again high sugar.
April R. 10th March 2011	I can't believe how immature these comments on this forum are getting. I know that some Americans have weight issues. I'm not over sensitive, but all of the discriminitory insults and rude comments need to stop. We are all adults here... i think... Let's leave all the immaturity crap for the High Schoolers. OK? In Ohio, Those of us who are fit, are trying to help those who do by encouraging them to find time for themselves, and do more for themslves. All they really need is to plan out the time, and get the motivation. A big part of it, is being honest with themselves and what they eat. Paying attention to when you feel full is a key issue. *Always remember: When you start to feel full (depending on how fast you are eating), you need to re-learn to stop, and i'll tell you why. As Children, mom and dad always told us to eat our veggies, and finish whats on our plates. This eventually led to the ignoring of the part of our brain that tells us that we are full; the only one w larnd to pay attention to is when everything on the plate was gone. So if we just paid more attention to calorie counts, and when we feel full, the obesity rates for the United States will drop at least by 5%, if not 10%.
Aldentron 7th March 2011	@blogshag it appears that this list is compiled of the most obese nations. It would take a LOT of work to make a list of EVERY nation, and there would be about what, 200 nations with less than half a percent?
Anna 7th March 2011	The reason that some countries aren't on the list is that their population isn't as fat as those ones. If you think about it, in countries like Africa alot of people are starving and have no food. Compare that to the amount of Americans eat every day.
LM 6th March 2011	There's a thing called a mass balance: WHAT GOES IN - WHAT COMES OUT = ACCUMULATION Apparently if you put too much in, you 'accumulate'.
JR 2nd March 2011	It's everyone's fault except mine :) Come on... people are fat( Unless you have a mideical condition) becuase they are lazy. Some people say that they are fat becuase they don't have time. What I don't get is... if you don't have time to do something positive for yourself, where did you find time to eat? It really depends on your mentality. Stop making excuses and be responsible. My friends tells me I'm skinny, I'm not skinny, people around me are FAT.
the fat one 27th February 2011	well, i personally think, that the U.S.A is huge, and its gotten pretty bad, like look Canada is half of what the U.S.A is, the world will eventually be balloons. ;D
justin 26th February 2011	mexico is part of north america get over it people, and actually a higher obesity % means that the country must be doing goo, so since USA is the 1st that must mean USA is doing the best (which it is)
Al80 25th February 2011	Excuse me for getting off topic here, but I wanted to try to shed some light on something. In the United States, students are taught in their first Social Studies class that the Americas are broken down into North and South, and that Central America is part of North America. I believe the Caribbean nations are grouped with North America, as well. However, throughout Latin America and much of the rest of the world, students are taught that America is one continent. The concept of North and South America does exist, but officially they are not divided. Also, Antarctica is not considered a continent by the standards of many countries. By U.S. standards, it is. The five Olympic rings reflect the concept of a 5-continent world. I personally like the idea of one American continent. After all, if you are from the Americas, you are American. That is not a term that should be reserved for U.S. citizens only. On obesity, I should first make it known that I am not obese and therefore cannot speak on a personal level of the pain and suffering that many obese people go through in life. What I imagine, though, is that many morbidly obese people are deeply affected by their condition emotionally and psychologically -- to the point that it disrupts even the most mundane aspects of their daily lives -- and would love to lose weight, but are afraid to take on such a monumental challenge. What they need is encouragement from their fellow man (and woman)-- and not to buy into this predatory miracle weight loss drug garbage. Basically, we can't afford to put each other down forever. Being sympathetic or empathetic towards the needs of others...it's a beautiful thing.
freddy 24th February 2011	glad new zealand is not third obese country anymore.. so im happy !
freddy 24th February 2011	im am glad that new zealand is no longer ranked third, because our country is not filled with that many obese people. so im happy ! :P
Chubby chaser 23rd February 2011	Does any one know where i can find an updated table like this? preferably 2010 / 2011 stats?
OWEN 23rd February 2011	MMMMMH! WHAT BIASED STATISICS! HAVEN'T YOU SEEN HOW FAT AFRICA IS? THE FELLOWS TAKE PRIDE IN BEING FAT/OBESE AND DRESS MAGNIFICENTLY, SHOWING OFF THEIR MASSIVE BODIES. MOST OF THEM TAKE IT AS A SIGN OF BEING WEALTHY. BELIEVE ME, I AM A TYPICAL AFRICAN AND SURE OF WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.
Another Canadian 21st February 2011	Those countries are all parts of the Americas, not necessarily "America". "America" is not a continent, the Americas, however, consists of two continents: North America and South America. In any case, don't group every country in the Americas with the United States and Mexico. Canada may not have the lowest obesity rates, but they certainly are not THAT high, and we are part of the Americas too...
hi 14th February 2011	why is mexico is in 2nd place if mostt of the food is hand made and if you need to go to a fast food resturant then you would probably need a car to go there also when i go to mexico i wiol ussaly w2alk every where wich is good because is calories that we are lossing so that is really good right? im still amm shocked that mexico is in 2nd place united states well there is no schock in there!
willy the AMERICAN 10th February 2011	yes obesity is every where in AMERICA or in the AMERICAS all over our continent. I am from Venezuela which is in South-AMERICA it is America my friend too. like it or not to the people of the USA, is not our problem that you took the name of this huge continet to named your country. lets all AMERICANS from south, north and cental to walk a little more and no to eat too much sugar and fat.
canadian 10th February 2011	No canada, mexico and the caribean are not a part of america, we're all a part of North America, see the North part infront of America
J Carlos 4th February 2011	@Yazzie: Froom Peter; Do Americans (US and Mexico) actually walk ANYWHERE? Answer: Yes Mexico is part of America, as well as the United States of America, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and the rest of the countries in the Great continent of AMERICA; similar to England, France, and Germany being part of Europe. Have a great day! We all need to excersize.
Wilson 31st January 2011	Peter, Many American's walk less than a half mile (800m) per day. They wake up, eat breakfast, walk down to their garage and get in their car. They then drive all the way to work, where they park in a conveniently located parking lot (Citizens of Atlanta drive an average of 50 miles (80km) per day). They walk to the door, get on an elevator and walk the short distance to their desk where they spend their day working. They may bring their lunch and not even leave the building or have someone get carry out for a bunch of people. They may even get back into their car and drive to a fast food restaurant! At the end of the day they repeat the procedure, but in reverse, and by the time they get home they are too tired to go workout. Their terrible diet and sedentary job create a downward spiral which is very difficult to get out of. A previous poster mentioned cities in California and New York and they are correct. Those that live in big cities are much more likely to walk places. On the other hand, 20% of the American population live in rural areas where driving is necessary. There is also a great possibility that those living in urban areas do not live close to their workplace and drive almost everywhere. Very sad. The American city was designed around the car and it is ruining our health and health care system.
Sara 30th January 2011	Well, to blame your own president for being fat it's just ridiculous. If it's Obamas fault then please break it down to me and tell me exactly how he made you fat? And what did YOU with an overweight problem do wrong? It's statistics, just take it in, because it's the reality, and make a change.
Shaun 26th January 2011	As an Australian, I'm very annoyed about 2 things: the status of our country in this issue as well as it's (apparent) ranking, and what I call "The Big Fat Myth". The clever thing about that title is you can put the emphasis on either 'Fat' or 'Myth'. Here it is: (IMO) our obesity problems have little to do with the consumption of dietry 'fats' and EVERYTHING to do with PROCESSED SUGAR AND WHEAT FLOUR. The finger is being pointed in every direction EXCEPT where it should --> PROCESSED FOODS. Fats are used by the body to build cell walls (et al). The amount of subcutaneous fat 'not used' is determined by how much insulin was secreted, which is determined by how much sugar hits your blood stream. Our country (and the others) will continue to have an obesity problem until people start to realise The Big Fat Myth. GET OFF THE ISSUE OF DIETRY FAT AND ADDRESS THE CONSUMPTION OF PROCESSED SUGAR.
Joseph 24th January 2011	Peter, Americans do walk, especially in cities like New York or California and more than half of Americans are very physically fit. However, there is no in between in america, you rarely see people who are in between very fat and in shape. Most americans are toned and athletic but I'm not surprised that around 30% just sit on their couches and eat all day.
Cam 21st January 2011	@Peter sure thing. It has been shown that obesity is not caused by sedentary behaviour and overeating like EVERYONE says. It was shown in a few studies a long time ago that reduction of calories will only lead to lower metabolic rate and short-term weight loss, but once the caloric intake is back to normal not only does the weight return, but the people put on weight and usually end up with more body fat and less muscle. What really causes weight gain is insulin, and insulin is sent into the blood in response to sugar, refined carbs AND COMPLEX carbs! The reason it was never accepted into orthodox medicine is entirely political. Keys had people certain that saturated fat caused heart disease and therefore a diet low in carbs would be high in fat and that would likely invalidate keys' hypothesis, which was essentially accepted as a theory by the 70's. This information comes from Gary Taubes' "Good Calories, Bad Calories", a freakishly long book on "the controversial science of diet and health". You might be interested in it, but if it's too long, he's just written a shorter version called "Why We Get Fat" which I plan to read once I've finished this monstrous book. BTW those "few studies" I mentioned are from pages 252-257, which I suggest you read through at a book store to get his version of it, which is much more compelling.
Peter 19th January 2011	As a writer on recreational walking, I find these statistics and the 114 (so far)comments most interesting. Do Americans (US and Mexico) actually walk ANYWHERE? I would like to see more comments about the relationship between exercise, diet and weight please.
awesome 18th January 2011	i like this but canada is less obese
Murf42 17th January 2011	If you are feeling guilty about being a fat american, go check-out the fat male and the fat female lists and America does not make the top 10 obese in either catagory!! - Must be our pets! http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe_in_wom-health-obesity-in-women http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe_in_men-health-obesity-in-men
Taylor 16th January 2011	im not overweight but theres lots of people that are and i want to make that not happen i dont know how but im going to try at least i want everyone to try and it is NOT OBAMAS FULT trust me its not people have a chioce if they want to be overweight and lots of people do and they want to change it thank you for reading this peace
Estudiante 30th December 2010	Remarkably, I this is not as bad as I thought. But I thought that statistics showed that obesity is a problem preventable from Childhood. It sure would be nice to have some PE programs funded rather than it being one of the first programs that American Schools cut because they either don't have enough money or can't figure out that kids are more important than teacher's retirements.
Jeremy 27th December 2010	I have no doubt that we have an obesity issue here in America, but I think that saying almost a third of us are obese may be putting it a bit high. Alot of it may have to do with our media, though. When your greatest pop-culture idols are uneducated trash swimming in drugs and women, people are given the idea that health doesn't matter. Just a thought-and obviously not the whole cause. When you get down to it, people just need to say no.
double d 21st December 2010	After 8 years of a republican administration that cared more for corporate coddling (i.(ie.fast food industry etc.) and less for Americans health care , it's not a surprise.
Thinker 16th December 2010	I think there should be a food tax on fast food. This would help cut down on the BMI and we could use the funds to set up more weight watcher locations. We wold need a couple of exceptions like Mcdonalds and Taco bell and maybe Pizza Hut.....oh and Burger King (I like whoppers don't you?)
Sherry 16th December 2010	This information was really helpful to my plumpness which is effecting my love life ! THANKS ! ;)
Anon 15th December 2010	@ Skeptica It appears that only OECD countries are represented here.
Clark H 14th December 2010	In my opinion, the reason the Japanese do not get fat is because of their iodine intake. In America our recommended daily intake is .000150 of a gram (150 micrograms; 150 mcg; 150 µg). The japanese on average eat .013000 of a gram (13 milligrams; 13mg; 13,000 µg) every day with some parts of the population consuming .050000 of a gram each day. The reason for this is because they have a significant amount of kelp in their diets and because the recommended daily allowance of iodine for Americans and the rest of the world was determined based on bad science (RDA is based on the minimum amount needed to prevent goiters, not the minimum amount needed for optimum health). Iodine in the Japanese diet is why they also have a significantly less cancer and other diseases than Americans. The World Health Organization has stated that the lack of iodine in diets is the number one cause of preventable brain damage in the world.
lol 13th December 2010	wheres africa? ):
RWJ 12th December 2010	eating disorders have many variables to why they exist. socioeconomic status, social factors, biological and psychological, sociological, and the mass media all play a vital role with concluding why they are and what they've become. You cant say its obama. thats probably the dumbest thing someone could say. Blame the mass medias influence. they tell YOU what they want you to see/know, regardless if its fact or fiction. multi million dollar marketing schemes wouldnt exist if they didnt work. Look at this link if ur interested with obesity in the USA. its quite interesting and may shape your perspective http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.uwm.edu/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=112&sid=cc491271-af34-4c08-acff-7e051eb58536%40sessionmgr115&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=1427146
Skeptica 12th December 2010	Whole continents and many countries are unrepresented here. South America? Africa?? Hello!
Spiff 8th December 2010	@GunnyG -.- why don't you just read the definition. how can obama have anything to do with that if all the numbers are from 2003 and earlier?
sarahahaha 7th December 2010	How can everyone blame Obama? America had huge levels of obesity before he stepped on the scene so stop pointing the finger at innocent people who are in fact good role models. He can't control what you eat. Something needs to be done to stop the huge increase before all of us end up with serious weight and health problems but at the end of the day, Obama isn't the one putting food in our mouths, is he?
Mark Vreeland 5th December 2010	The more we eat proper nutrition and exercise daily the less FAT and laziness we would experience. EAT CLEAN and CARDIO every day. Junk convenience and comfort foods should be OUT. McDonalds & the like, sodas etc is POISON. Yes to fish and poultry...no to red meats & no to dairy. Eat low carb, low sugar, low fats....high protein. Eat like a diabetic. You want to lose weight and have more energy, fewer diseases....this is what you must do! Fresh veggies, fruits, and deep salt water FISH! 30min cardio each day with your fav sport or gym.
response to God( you really shouldnt do 30th November 2010	being fat has a whole lot more to it than just eating at a fast food joint, it is more about exercising and how much you eat. where you eat has the least to do with it.
God 30th November 2010	If you're fat, point the finger at yourself. You're to blame because you chose to eat that garbage. Before you got in your car, before you drove there, before you ordered your meal, and before you ate it, you had the choice to not eat it. Quit being ignorant and do something about it.
something nice 28th November 2010	You know what? If the obese people are obese, at least half of the time it's their own fault. I know, a lot of the time it's because of a disease or sickness, but the rest of the time, they take the blame. I wish that people would start eating healthy and exercising. I'm really healthy, and I know a bunch of pretty big people. However, I don't know anyone obese. My advice for them: start exercising and eating healthy proportions and foods! I know, it's really difficult. Here's more advice. Don't limit your foods; don't follow a strict diet, unless instructed by your doctor.
sadness 28th November 2010	ok this is just sad. everone looks up to americans and we are lettiing all other countries down. go out and buy a treadmill!!!!!
Samantha Garcia 28th November 2010	Also you can't blame Obama forthis because this has been going on for many years already it just gets worse. Obesity is really serious. I have an essay I wrote for school and if you would like to post it on your website that wiuld be really cool. Just put my name down that I wrote it and that would work out great. You can contact me at samigarciax3@aol.com so here it is: Restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, and many more fast foo restaurants sell greasy, oily, salty food to children all over the United States every day. And some children dont have the option or are too lazy to do sports to keep in shape. in some houses TV times is all the time. some children spend up to six hours a day sitting on their couch lost in their TV. It's because of these habits that 32% of American children are suffering from obesity. Obesity is a medical condition in which the person has an excessive amount of body fat. If a child has more than 30% body fat they are considered obese. But TV, eating habits, and laziness are not the only causes for obesity. Obesity can run in the family, so therfore if one of your older relatives is obese it is possible that you might be diagnosed with it. At McDonalds 4 pieces of chicken nuggets has 12 grams of fat. But you wouldn't just eat chicken nuggets right? you'd probably buy a 1% milk jug that contains 2.5 grams of fat. And who can resist a Baked Hot Apple Pie with 13 grams of fat? Mmm! Doesn't sound too delicious now does it? Obesity is a very severe illness that grows at an alarming rate. In 1989 about 10% of American children were obese, then in 1999 about 15% of children were obese. But now in 2010 30% of children are obese in the United States. In just 21 years 20% more of the population of kids in America became obese. It is estimated that by 2020 75% of all Americans will be obese or overweight. Many Americans are not frightened by obesity, but it can lead to other illnesses like type 2 diabetes, and it should be taken seriously. By: Samantha Garcia
robert 22nd November 2010	Not really suprised with these states.I guess the reason America has so many fat people is because they have lots of good food,That is made to look better in commercials.And the reason japan is full of healthy people is because they live in a country where people walk everyday to places,and can't afford to be fat doing so.
adina ROM 21st November 2010	according to american BMI I'm underweight .According to romanian IMC (same thing but in Romania ) I'm a bit fat , so what is the truth ?I have 127.87 lbs and 5.18 Ft .
lugubriousintent 20th November 2010	I don't believe that anyone has mentioned how the American culture has changed since WWII and because of the change from an industrail country to a consumer country, a large influence has been made on the eating habits of Americans. Also, the amount of women in the work force has increased dramatically. This has lead to a hectic, on-the-go lifestyle. When you are unable to have the time to cook a meal (as this is still for the most part, a woman's responsibility), you go to the fast food restaurant. Quick snack on the go...easy packaged foods with the nutritional composition of a tub of margarine. There is another thing to consider when looking at the health care complications from obesity. Has anyone ever thought that it is not only eating more, but the amounts of azo dyes and other additives put into these foods that contribute to a lot of these heath issues? It is not just one thing or another. It is a culmination of society, media, consumerism, and so much more.
Jess 18th November 2010	How is Obama to blame for an epidemic that's been decades in the making?
student 18th November 2010	its everyones fault, including corporate america, marketers and us the society for listening to the tv ads and eating fast foods daily! its not OBAMAS fault he just got into office!
NMogle 16th November 2010	Obama has nothing to do with it, its not that he doesnt care about the people, its that the people dont care about themselves. Stop pointing the finger at people because our population is lazy and always looking for a easy way to do every thing. Put down the fast food and pick up the weights
person 14th November 2010	The only person you can blame for being obese is yourself. YOU are the one who chooses what you eat, YOU are the one who chooses if you are going to exercise or not, YOU are the one who decided to eat the crappy fast food, YOU are the one who decides to sit on your a** and play video games or watch TV all day. YOU are the ONLY person you can blame. Take 30 minutes out of your day and exercise. It's really not that hard. Count calories or chooses fresh, organic foods to eat. YOU are the one who controls your life and your weight. The ONLY person you can blame is YOURSELF!! Not Obama, not fast food, not video games, and not TV, but YOU!!! Take responsibility for yourself! I did and lost 70 pounds in 9 months. How? By exercising and watching what I eat! So don't go and blame other people or technology, because YOU are the ONLY person that can control what you do!!!
Donne Moi 13th November 2010	I blame desk jobs, video games, and television. We no longer have to maintain a farm to survive, where everything came from the farm which required hard work. Instead, we've opted for data entry positions, and telemarketers. The whole world is to blame.
cassandra 11th November 2010	i blame the companies who dont make foods healthy enough. and also because alot of americans are facing finacial issues,if they want us to loose wieght then make the healthier foods cheaper.
doshta? 9th November 2010	Seriously, it is because of what people can afford. Like the way an apple costs a dollar an apple, and chips costs a dollar for three bags. Counties like Japan have the same issue, but it is what is it. Japan is loaded with nothing but fish chips and seaweed candy and kelp juice. Lived it for one weight losing summer. All about accessability and material.
Anon. 8th November 2010	Wow America get with it! If you look at these statistics we should be #15 or below not #1!!! Come on America get motivated and lose some weight
Amanda Brown 3rd November 2010	I can easily believe that Japan has the least obesity, but Australia is ranked second for most healthiest country in the world so it definently couldn't be ranked #6 for most obesity! But duh America is ranked #1
joe 2nd November 2010	lol at the person that said "almost half of of american people have obesity". that is a large number but it's actually just shy of a third. you got another 20 percent til half.
sachin gr 2nd November 2010	please give ststus of india
145210 2nd November 2010	Almost half of american people have obesity.....
Haley 31st October 2010	In response to a comment made earlier by Not so ignorant American i agree that obesity does start in the mind. Some people might state that its because of their family genes that they are larger by in reality the gene pool has not changed in the past years drastically enough for this to be true. Its all about the lifestyle you choose to live. We now live in an age where technology is at a high level and alot of it requires you to be sedentary. Instead of walking we have cars, kids play video games sitting (except for the wii and new playstation gear) when checking your social networks you may be sitting. All these things don't require much movement so therefore the fat just sits there and collects. And no im not trying to say all these things are bad because they do improve our lives but you shouldn't use them to excession then try and blame the fast food industries because you are larger. You can't just expect to eat anything you please then just sit around and not gain weight.
Danny 27th October 2010	It just shows that people in the US are more comfortable with their weight than the rest of the world, and and would rather live their lives unhinged by society's norms. Now I fully understand the dangers that come with obesity, but that's their risk to take. People are who they want to be, and their weight is really nobody else's business but their own. When governments try to interfere and force healthy living on people, though, that's overstepping the boundaries of what a government is intended to do.
Robert Field 27th October 2010	I don't disagree with this graph at all, but BMI scores aren't that accurate. a 6'3" man who weighs 225lbs is considered obese. BMI scores would put nearly every professional athlete in the obese catagory.
Me 27th October 2010	How do I know this list is accurate? Every list I see has different figures. Another one says Mexico is now the fattest, that they have 30% obese rates compared to America's 28%. Others say Samoa. Another says Germany is fattest in Europe.
Frank Eubanks 24th October 2010	I am 5'8" tall and weigh 151 pounds. That means my Body Mass Index (BMI)is 23, which is considered a healthy BMI for a man. Guess what my chest is? It is 35 inches. And my waist? It is also 35 inches. I have found no literature about whether it is healthy for me to have a waistline that is the same as my chest. Two Saturdays ago, at the Columbus (Ohio) Marathon Expo, one of the exhibitors had an electronic body fat percentage testing device that uses four electrodes placed in four different locations on the body. My results was that I am 24% bodyfat. By the way, a lady who was 5'6" tall, and weighed 110 pounds, had a bodyfat measurement of over 25%; and this "over 25% bodyfat" lady is considered underweight because her BMI of 17.8 is under the 18.5 BMI benchmark! And get this! About two or three years ago, I read in a magazine, about a man named Jay Cutler, who, at 5'9" tall, showed up to a bodybuilding contest weighting 275 pounds with a 34" waistline, which is one inch smaller than my waistline, although he was 124 pounds heavier than I am now. Since he came in first place in the contest, with a BMI of 40.6, which is considered grossly obese by weight, Jay Cutler was probably below 5% bodyfat on the day he won that Mr. Olympia Contest. I conclude that people should not be concerned about how much they weigh, people should be concerned about what their bodyfat percentages are. Frank Eubanks, Columbus, Ohio, October 24, 2010.
Lisa Smith 23rd October 2010	Health care cost should be based on your % of over or under weight. If you are more than 10 % outside of your normal weight for your height and sex. Why should my insurance cost go up because some WILL not take care of themselfs. People that smoke pay more for insurance, so should those that do not take care of themselfs. Just lazy people
Ludde Kapudde 23rd October 2010	Maybe Americans are more obese because they buy so much food from evil corporations like Cola and McDonalds that care more about getting customers addicted to the good taste, rather than keeping their country healthy. I have never been in the USA, but I have heard people say that Americans' lives are quite sedentary and controlled by the TV. My country is very rich, but it is far below average on the obesity scale. Healthy food is cheap, almost everybody plays a sport and many people try to stay away from evil products.
Tim 20th October 2010	The U.S has been plegued by fast food resturant chains and high fat and high calorie foods. we are known for our military exellence and now we are known for being fat. 30.6% of Americans are fat and we need to take some initiative and go work out or go on a diet. Diet soda with a big mac and a large fry doesnt count!! We need to care more about our well being and personal health. We need to find a way in which we can all improve our health progressivly as a nation.
Jesse 15th October 2010	This is just sad, we need to do something about this as a society. We are making it seem o.k. to be overweight. All the t.v. ads and fast food. It's so cheap and easy. It's not fair for you parents who are working and trying to raise kids and eat properly. If we dont change together nothing will change.
T.Cheng 7th October 2010	USA placed the #1 obesity rate because majority of the american people consumed more meat than their ancestors in the hundred years ago, followed by the sedentary lifestyle made the obesity problem getting worse.
Necromas 6th October 2010	Interesting how Mexico has a lot of poverty compared to the other high obesity nations. I guess it has to do with the poor not having access to quality food, but there must be something unique about Mexicos situation since other relatively poor nations aren't making it high on the list.
Kate 2nd October 2010	Everyone's been talking about how the English speaking countries are obese etc. And it's because of their heritage. They are have close ties to the UK, and the UK must have always had unhealthy tatse in food.
Ed W 28th September 2010	When you get old it's hard to lose weight because by that time your body and your fat have become really good friends!
the skinny on fat statistics 24th September 2010	Aren't obesity estimates that are derived from health examinations generally only taken when obese people go to see a doctor for health their concerns? Similarly, why would a skinny person go to see a doctor (especially if you have to pay for the visit) if they don't have health issues? There are probably allot of skinny people that were excluded from the Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States statistics :)
a teenagr 23rd September 2010	Our generation has to fox soooo many issues!! These obesity rates really intimidate me! :0
Offer 22nd September 2010	It's funny that i'm skinny and a good healthy size for my age and height but fat people who are clearly over weight and unhealthy tell me i'm to skinny and should put some "meat on my bones". There doesn't seem to be a massive taboo in the UK for eating to much and a lack of exercise.
cristina sotomayor 22nd September 2010	i'm from chile, and i can tell you our actual numbers are over the U.S rates, with a prevalence in 6 - 12 years old of 22% for obesity.
Ink'ed 20th September 2010	Mexico is just getting bigger, and bigger. Especially the woman, because they just don't workout but are all day in the house doing a handful of not needed chores. That's how Mexican woman are, and don't say I'm racist because I am Mexican and I would know. I grew up listening to my mom saying that I am a woman and I have to do this, and I have to do that, and my place is in the kitchen. I'm 18 now and I was born and raised here in the U.S and I'm a tattoo designer. I guess this is why my mom is now so big.
Miriam 15th September 2010	It is very evident from this pattern that, countries which eat a lot of spices or cook their food with spices have an overall healthy weight. Most of these nations don’t include spices or include very little spices in their cooking, their cooking is primarily bland. Spices accelerate digestion, help and aid in the process of nutrients being observed into the blood stream better. Also in many of the countries in this list, their staple food is Bread, while in the 'thin' countries it is rice. The third reason is, many of the people in these countries eat most of their food from outside, not home cooked meals either because they are too busy or too lazy and off course there are soooooooooo many advertisements on TV to encourage that kind of lifestyle, unlike in the 'thin' countries who eat home cooked meals and eating out is only reserved for some occasions, it is not a daily thing. Another factor--children carry home cooked lunches in the ‘thin’ countries, the 'fat' countries serve food in school and that sets off unhealthy eating habits right from the beginning. I have nothing against fat people, I have many friends who are fat, and I love them dearly, but I will not ignore the fact that it is a really big problem and that we have to do something about it. As for me, I came to this country and started eating out etc,,,, realized how much weight I was gaining, then took the time to cook at home, used spices in my food, lost a ton of weight, I live a normal life, don’t overly exercise or diet, but have never regained that weight. I cook lunch for my son at home and he carries that to school. And prepare lunch at home for my husband too. I also work during the day, and this is not a hard this atall. It just calls for some TLC for myself and the ones I love and some rational thinking!!.
marco pieres 13th September 2010	The great thing about being European is that we do get to travel around counries in europe easily due to it size. Europeans will know first hand that compared to america we do not have a weight problem.My country is ranked 23 in this list but we are no larger or thiner than spain belgium england or any of our european neighbours. The problem america has it that it doesnt really have its own culture, we eat our traditionl foods plus junk food. America eats just junk food(not every american but on the whole)
nyanko 6th September 2010	I am kind of worried about the Japan's future...(Because I am Japanese living in the US) Japanese people love the US and imitate the American life style and food. Apparently now they eat more and more junk food.
saverio 6th September 2010	I heard australia is now number #1, where is this posted please. Remarkable that only 100 years ago people all over the world including 'rich' countries had problems feeding their populations. Thank god for advances in agriculture technology.
???? 29th August 2010	what i don't get is that the news says we are the top five but according to this were only 7
Michael 24th August 2010	Japan seems like a skinny country, doesn't it? But the sumo wrestlers have pulled it to ninth.
Concerned American 24th August 2010	There is no denying that the obesity epidemic is a national disgrace for us in the U.S. It is due in part to the consumption of enormous quantities of corporate fast food and soda (and the abandonment of home cooking), but also to a lack of walking. Compared to Europe and Japan, the U.S. is a very pedestrian unfriendly country. Home, work and shopping destinations are often far from each other, mass transit is poor to nonexistent in many parts of the country, and Americans tend to drive everywhere.
josh 22nd August 2010	wow australias sixth yay im in primary school doing a dabate on obessity in children and this helped me a lot yay !!!!!!
Rachel Paul 21st August 2010	Look, overweight people or obese people it isn't good and people shouldn't eat so much junk. I know all that fatty food is tempting but you need to stop yourselves and eat something good. Go on a diet- do excercise! Have FUN!!!
diana 10th August 2010	as I know in Fiji and American Samoa obesity level is 80%. In my country, Romania, obesity level is 18%.
Graham 8th August 2010	I'm surprised the UK, Australia and NZ are higher on this list than Canada. When I first visited these countries back in the 70s they were slimmer. And the English were shorter!
hawk 6th August 2010	One difference I noticed between the prices of fruit in USA and in the central Europe. In the central Europe, prices follow the season. Apples are quite expensive in May/June, and super-cheap in September (could be 25 cents a pound). Tomatoes and peppers in July/August are at their lowest, while I never used to buy them in January when they were above my budget (tomatoes are so much tastier in summer anyway). Here in USA, apples cost pretty much the same throughout the whole year ($2 per pound).
hawk 6th August 2010	It first seemed weird to me when somebody in this discussion mentioned that poorer families in wealthy countries cannot afford healthy food. I mean, I spent my childhood in a communist regime and post-communist chaos, we ate bread with (basically one type of) cheese and vegetable from our garden, and things like potatoes with some meat and veggies for lunch, drank tea or water with home-made berry syrup - and I really don't remember fat people around. Lunches at school were simple and certainly not super-tasty but they were cooked fresh, with soup and tea every day, and meat 3 times a week. Before moving to USA, I thought this is how simple, inexpensive food looks like. Now I've realized how much fruit and veggies cost compared to other stuff. However, I still think that the main problem in USA is the attitude, built from the early childhood. If you asked my childhood friends about their favorite food, I guess that for many of them it'd be a chicken/beef broth with veggies and thin noodles, baked chicken/pork, mashed potatoes, and cucumber salad - cause that was almost a synonym for Sunday lunch, oh-so-tasty compared to the school meals. Here in the US it could be McDonald's Happy Meal. Which for sure is far less balanced than the above.
Nadya 5th August 2010	I see a pattern between the English Speaking nations and obesity. The more wealth a country has the worst they live. All these countries are fed up with ads that make the economy grow. Lots of these ads are made for food products. And people artificially create needs for their-selves. There are so many things involved in the whole process. But the main evil is money. Businesses want money, they create ads and make people always rush, work and eat at fast because they got no time to cook - or they buy the crap ready made from stores.
John Todd 3rd August 2010	I am not surprised most asian countries are not at the top. Having been to asian countries, I could ahrdly find obscenely obese people there, at most they are just plump or chubby. But I can find a lot in my own country, USA and some other european countries. Maybe it has to do with our diet? Or more precisely, it has to do with taking junk food all the time? But Japan being 28, it's hard to believe though. I don;t think they should even be on the list.
Goodfella 2nd August 2010	Interesting, but when you look at the Top 15 countries on the list, a staggering six of them are English-speaking nations (USA, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland). .... Anyone have any theories as to why those of us in English-speaking nations are so obese?
Freerk 2nd August 2010	We dutch people enjoy our food we aint fat;)
cute 1 1st August 2010	all dis obesity stuff is dangerous!!!........
Victor 1st August 2010	Sad to see that sweden is already at #21..
puppy8 1st August 2010	Why are some people proud about USA ranking #1? It's making me embarressed to be an American. Especially with people like PizzaBagel. What part of the US do you live in? And Philippines isn't on here either.
Emikero 31st July 2010	Jenna. It's actually cheaper to buy foods with no GST. Which are fruits and vegetables. The low income earners simply buy Junk because they don't want/know how to cook. They think that it's cheaper to buy junk, when in actual fact the fresh foods have no GST, or much less GST as they haven't been processed even half as much.
Oscar+Cramp 28th July 2010	if you eat Mcdonalds all day you will get obese. Obesity is a bad thing... i for one have stayed healthy people should eat fruit and vegetables and stay fit and strong. come on people stay fit and get active. we love to be active and not eat fatty foods right? STAY ACTIVE!!
lolephant 26th July 2010	aus isn't the fattest country, but its gaining in weight fast
Xathos 23rd July 2010	Yep, America's #1 again. And, once again, that's really not a compliment. Obesity is bad. Really, very bad; one out of every three individuals will cause, and is causing, problems for both healthcare and productivity. If this trend continues, future generations of Americans could be the first to have a shorter life expectancy rate than their predecessors. Seriously. Obesity is really related to three major factors: Exercise, Stress, and Diet. There are others too, like one's metabolism, but those are the main three. Poverty also plays a major role. Cheap food comes at high health costs. If one is forced to eat at McDonald's every day due to financial causes, what do you think will happen? If you love fast food, eat there frequently, and drink lots of soda and other sweets, you will become fat. Obesity, diabetes, and other health problems are sure to follow. There are other factors that one must consider if one does not wish to gain weight (stress and anxiety, other dietary concerns, exercise, etc.), but frequent fast food outings and high soda consumption are practically guaranteed to cause obesity.
Xathos 23rd July 2010	Yep, America's #1 again. And, once again, that's really not a compliment. Obesity is bad. Really, very bad; one out of every three individuals will cause, and is causing, problems for both healthcare and productivity. If this trend continues, future generations of Americans could be the first to have a shorter life expectancy rate than their predecessors. Seriously. Obesity is really related to three major factors: Exercise, Stress, and Diet. There are others too, like one's metabolism, but those are the main three. Poverty also plays a major role. Cheap food comes at high health costs. If one is forced to eat at McDonald's every day due to financial causes, what do you think will happen? If you love fast food, eat there frequently, and drink lots of soda and other sweets, you will become fat. Obesity, diabetes, and other health problems are sure to follow. There are other factors that one must consider if one does not wish to gain weight (stress and anxiety, other dietary concerns, exercise, etc.), but frequent fast food outings and high soda consumption are practically guaranteed to cause obesity.
Heli 20th July 2010	No. 1 is USA, but No. 2 is Mexico, and there are large amount of immigrants from Mexico come to USA, so... I'm just saying..
Quick Brown Fox 13th July 2010	These statistics only cover about 1/7th of the world's countries. The commenters here should note that the USA is only at the top of this list because the list has so few countries on it. The country with the greatest proportion of obese people is Nauru, where 58% of the population is obese. If that's too obscure, then try Saudi Arabia (35.6%), Lebanon (37.9%), or Panama (34.7%).
mhikl 12th July 2010	Read Gary Taubes "Good Calorie, Bad Calorie". It looks at historical and present research and statistics. The great change (obesity gain) in the US and world had its great gain in the early eighties with the shift to a high carbohydrate (sugars, grains, fruits and juices, starchy vegetables), low fat and protein diet. Insulin is the culprit, it seems, and carbohydrates feed this beast. I don't believe our ancestors ate the majority of their fates from commercially prepared vegetable oils. Look to the past. Read Taubes. Eat the bracketed carbs to your peril. Personal note: On the Dr Ornish diet, high carb, low fat (10%) I gained 40 lbs. Returning to a meat, fat (animal based, some olive oil for salads) and green vegetable (some carrots) and the occasional raw fruit, I took that weight off.
Daniel 9th July 2010	I personaly blame the people them selfs not the fastfood restorants people whould sell anything to make money, its our choice if we wanna see our toes!:) Look ot japan, Korea all they eat is raw fish and rise. Not a 1200 calorie Jack in a box sanwish or a 850 calorie bigmack. People there live longer for a reason and worlds tallest man tall for a reason to:)
sasha 8th July 2010	Obesity is a major feature in several syndromes, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Cohen syndrome, and MOMO syndrome. (The term "non-syndromic obesity" is sometimes used to exclude these conditions.)[97] In people with early-onset severe obesity (defined by an onset before 10 years of age and body mass index over three standard deviations above normal), 7% harbor a single point DNA mutation
Fausta Delafrique 28th June 2010	The information is worth the sruggle and being a student interested in conducting a research on teens obesity,i would love to get some statistics on UGANDA as my country.
marijane 22nd June 2010	i think it is vary inportant to watch your waite i see and hear kids making fun of obese people i dont allways think it is the child over eating it is the parant most of the time if they buy fatty foods its going to make you fatter but i also baleive that kids older than 10 should be able to know what foods are bad and what arnt....... sometimes its because your poor it cost more for water than it dose pop it cost more for straberies than a candy bar i think the stores should change that its a big problem in our country but no one is noticing the stores and there prices!!!!
I'm proud to be an American 21st June 2010	I would First of all like to say this, obesity IS real, but we ARE doing something about it. The obese population is being incouraged to lose weight, and we ARE making a dent in it. I admit, America has a large population of obese people, and it is truly sad to see such young children are a part of it. Despite the large amount of obeseness however, some Americans are NOT obese. Sorry to rain on the assumption that all Americans are fat lards. The truth is, we're not, though that does not mean we have the healthiest life style. Fastfood, constant tv, etc. Yes, perhaps this is the reason for our large obese population, but in reality there is no-one to blame but ourselves. We cannot constantly blame genetics, fast food, even the schools. In the end it the own persons fault for becoming obese, no-one elses. You cannot eat the food that our life style has to offer and then just sit around. Our bodies were made to move, so obey and give in to your bodies needs, exercise. It IS neccessary, on a daily basis. The answer to less obesity is simple: exercise, cut back on proportions, there's no need for desserts or a five course meal that consists of large amounts of grease and preservatives, and take the junk food out of our daily lives. It may taste good but it's full of preservatives (which results have shown may be linked to cancer). Most importantly, teach these habits to younger genrations. If we want to stop it it starts there. Perhaps you yourself may be obese but that does not mean your children have to be. Teach your children to be healthy, to get exercise, to eat right, and to NEVER give up. we love you America, but let's get through this, one step at a time. I will leave it at that. And remember, give thanks to all that's in your life. Positiveness equals positive outcomes. I love you all, and I'm proud to be and American.
Tammy 15th June 2010	It’s no surprise that the United States is ranked #1. What is to be expected of people who don’t want the government regulating their diets and allowing agriculture industries to self-regulate? It boils down to the same thing: Money. If there is a profit to be made, American health is placed on the back burner. If somebody profits from selling refined and processed foods containing high fructose corn syrup that are also high in fat and sugar, so be it. Overeating of the before mentioned foods leads people to seek medical care because of their lifestyles. Again, it boils down to the money. It’s all about profit and this time, it’s for the health insurance companies and America’s health is again placed on the back burner. If we can’t regulate what we eat, how much we eat, and how much exercise we’re supposed to get, we need an intervention. Maybe our elected officials, those that we have chosen to run the country, need to do an intervention for our own good and the good of our country and its security. If we’re too fat to fight, what will happen next?
Tammy 15th June 2010	It’s no surprise that the United States is ranked #1. What is to be expected of people who don’t want the government regulating their diets and allowing agriculture industries to self-regulate? It boils down to the same thing: Money. If there is a profit to be made, American health is placed on the back burner. If somebody profits from selling refined and processed foods high in fat, sugar, and contain high fructose corn syrup, so be it. Overeating of the before mentioned foods leads people to seek medical care because of their lifestyles. Again, it boils down to the money. It’s all about profit and this time, it’s for the health insurance companies and America’s health is again placed on the back burner. If we can’t regulate what we eat, how much we eat, and how much exercise we’re supposed to get, it’s quite possible we need an intervention. Maybe our elected officials, those that we have chosen to run the country, need to do an intervention for our own good and the good of our country and its security. If we’re too fat to fight, what will happen next?
Hmmm 13th June 2010	Obesity is a serious issue, and we should all be worried. If you are overweight and choose to stay that way that is your decision, but you should not influence others to do the same. You do not have to skip meals to lose weight, or go to the gym for 5 hours a day like on The Biggest Loser; just 30 minutes of excercise a day and 3 pieces of fruit and 5 vege can make a huge difference.
sophia 13th June 2010	it's actually not a measure of "fatness," it's a measure of weight. weight to hight ratios, BMI does not account for muscle or bone. many athletes are overweight according to their BMI because muscle is more dense than bone. if you're concerned, there are places where you can check your body fat percentage, the most accurate indicator of obesity.
paulina 3rd June 2010	America is at the top because there are SO many processed sugars and fats that Americans don't even know are bad for you! Even something like high fructose corn syrup is more likely to be stored as fat than plain sugar, most meats are injected with hormones or antibiotics that increase growth and weight gain in animals... but the food companies won't tell you anything because they are making too much money.It's not the fat, it's all the unnatural foods.
Tyler 1st June 2010	REx BMI is not a measure of fatness or health it is just a calculation, BFP is a measure of fatness.
courtney grace :) 24th May 2010	i say that everyone worldwide should learn to be more considerate of their bodies, diets and lifestyles and get out there, get active and make a difference before it's too late!
Kermit 24th May 2010	Quit eating cake in the middle of the night!
tanusri datta 23rd May 2010	now a days obesity is a big problem.so we must b aware to eat fatty food
Rex Remes 21st May 2010	@jamie ... BMI is a metric of fatness, not of health. And being fat has been shown again and again to be not good for health. You say "If I had a healthy BMI, most people would call me underweight." I am guessing that most people call you fat now. Interesting fact is that 1/3 of americans are obese, but 40 million americans will need food handouts/help this year, or they will go hungry.
David L. 16th May 2010	I agree ian arnold should take all the junk food out adults aren't setting a good example for the next generation so i 100% agree with arnold.
Amoon from Australia 12th May 2010	http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/burnfatra.aspx If you want to lose weight fast to maintain throughout your life. Go check out this video.
Sasha 8th May 2010	The point is not how good or bad an indicator BMI is or how skinny you personally are, the measure of BMI HERE in this data confirms an increasing and undeniable trend towards a very very heavy global population. BMI is a globally known measure of body fat status, and yes it is inaccurate, but because globally it is acknowledged, it is useful for consistent comparison and monitoring of the obesity epidemic. There's not denying, we are fat.
student 4th May 2010	i dont think that the bmi is very accurate because there are alot of people who have alot of muscular build that would be over the 30 bmi. But it does help some with seeing how far over you actually are from the 30 bmi somewhat.
Girl who wants to help 3rd May 2010	hey look if u do think that u r fat then get outside for goodness sake. Breath some air go for a run!! I know its hard I was obese and I went for a run every morning with my friend for the last 2 years and i have lost over 56 kilos Now I am super hot!!
jamie 3rd May 2010	BMI is a VERY poor metric for health. If you light weights at all, have any musculature to speak of, your BMI will be high. If I had a "healthy" BMI, most people would call me underweight.
... 3rd May 2010	obesity is a major problem that is not being delt with properly
Suzi 1st May 2010	View this visual on obesity. The viz recently won the data visualization contest, sponsored by Tableau software. It's pretty cool. http://fitandfattableau.blogspot.com/
10th Grade Girl 30th April 2010	I was not really surprised to see that america is the highest for obesity. I mean obesity is almost everywhere you especially can see it in school. I think something that may help decrease obesity is if everyone found a healthier alternative from fast food. I mean if you go to this web site:http://freehealthfacts.com/nutrition.htm. It gives you some way healthy alternatives that do not taste bad. So u dont have to give up a great taste for healthy food.
mctista 29th April 2010	I was always active,only 130 lbs, age 40 and just got diagnosed with diabetes. wake up america. type 2 diabetes is going to kill us with a slow painful death. It is directly related to the american diet. i once was ignorant and now i have stopped eating all bread, cookies, pasta. absolutely no processed foods. fresh, fresh, fresh! I hate the diet, i dont mind excersize. i miss all the delicious bad foods but I like my feet and eyes too much. i want to live to play with my grandchildren.
chris m 29th April 2010	its all about physical activity and watching what one eats. too much fats and refined sugars are to blame. they provide more calories than one needs and hence the acumulation of excess weight! we need to be vigilant of what we eat!
Bradley 29th April 2010	It all boils down to convenience and price. In the US we only get a half hour for lunch while at work/school...this doesn't exactly give us a lot of time to go home and cook a nutritious meal. What are our options? We go to the nearest fast food place and grab a quick bite to eat and try to make it back before we are considered late. Also, healthy food costs more; I don't know about you but I'm a broke college student, I don't exactly sleep on a bed made of gold. I would rather be fat (which I am not) than starve myself because I can't afford healthy food.
6th grade girl 28th April 2010	Obesity is a big factor that the USA faces and it can be prevented by simple tasks such as jogging and other stretches that require some actual physical participation.
BIG BAY 102 26th April 2010	can i trust this site? :)
LK 26th April 2010	It apears obesity and overweight rates in the US were stable until about 1985 then slowly inched up until about 1995 then took off to 30% or so. Why? The only differences I see from say 1980 to 2010 is more inactivity from computer technology and possibly food ingredient and/or availability/consumption changes. Also possible is a contagious disease that causes weight gain. I think the main culprit is computer technology. All those things, little and big, we used to physically do are no longer done and we store the excess calories. Just a theory.
lukelbd 25th April 2010	I think the massive fast food and junk food industry, popularity of enormous portions and snacking, and general excess in wealth and advertisements involved in food product marketing in our comparatively unrestrained, highly capitalistic economy contribute to these frightening statistics. Yet it may also be a result of the enormous car culture where very few are dependent on public transportation requiring more activity and convenience with texting and internet communication over previous forms of physical interaction which required travel or movement. Unfortunately, on a side note, like many societal problems, obesity seems to have effected the minority groups more severely, primarily hispanics and blacks. Yet another dangerous problem which isolates a sect of society and necessitates serious action or reform in the future.
doug 24th April 2010	It is not just the fast food industry that produces the Obese American. It is the culture where processed food are make to conveniently marketed for distribution with longer shelf life. It is the refined sugar that once was a rare a treat became a snacks like (cookie, cakes ,ice cream). All these create bad havoc to the American digestive system thus producing the fat american. America, wake up , stop eating the refine sugar , those process food and start eating more Whole food, like organic vegetable and whole grain and also get some exercise.
Ryan 23rd April 2010	I don't believe BMI is very accurate. Its a decent basis to go on, but you need to see how much muscle a person has to completely determine this. I am 6'8, 242 LBS and they say I should weigh about 200. I am in very good shape, and work out daily. They do not take in account muscle weight and how big of a bone structure you have.
shorouq 22nd April 2010	are you sure that kuwait isn't in the list? because im writing a speech for the speech competition in school about obesity in kuwait, and in my articles, it says that kuwait had the highest obesity level in the world in 2005
Ashley 22nd April 2010	Wow I never new America would become this bad with obesity its not just because we eat fastfood its because of what schools are serving for our children eating. In one school alone they eat ten tons of fat a year.
mkXlogtX 21st April 2010	what date was this posted ?
Hmm 17th April 2010	You can have high BMI by just having big muscles and thats why this kind of comparison is quite weird. They should include other measurements along BMI so you could tell if person really is too fat. Ofcoures there are too many people having problems with their weight and they are/will suffer diseases which are caused by overweight. Lot more than there should be but this kind of comparison doesn't tell the whole truth.
doo daa 14th April 2010	i believe that fast food is fine as long as you don't go there all the time. once in a while is fine. you won't get fat over one meal of some fast food place unless you order tons of food. Half of the problem, i believe is that we have so much technology and we sit in font of the tv all day, with no physical activity. it is not just the food we eat but the way that you don't do anything.
Kuni 14th April 2010	The fattest man in the world is now trying to have the record of most weight lost in the world. He was 560 kilos (1,244 pounds) in weight. And now he is at 230 kilograms (570 pounds). http://news.softpedia.com/news/World-039-s-Fattest-Man-Has-Lost-230-kg-507-Pounds-78709.shtml I have no problem with people that choose to be fat. That is their choice. However, only 1 percent of obese people are obese due to medical reasons. Nothing wrong with being fat, but you guys can't blame it on anything either. If your going to the gym, exercising, eating right, but still fat your gona have to push yourself harder, and eat better with more exercise. But you can't blame your genetics when that worlds fattest man is loosing weight.
Mioki 11th April 2010	Im 2nd generation Asian Canadian, i recently traveled to Thailand, korea and Taiwan, and im really afraid eventually they will become super fat too! I mean there food is insanely delicious much better then North America and i highly doubt its low fat... TRUST ME its not...i think only traditional japanese food is low-fat. I dont think its fair to say "stop eating fast foods! its America's fast food" its not that.. Asia has TONS of fast food chains! But actually when i ordered, i was surprise the portion was so much smaller, i asked them to supersize my meal and they didnt understand.. they charged me for 2x... So i guess stop making everything so big?
Steve Kuartei 11th April 2010	The list for "World Fattest Countries" seem to change from list to list and the number does not correlate with the best statistics that exist within the countries. Obesity is not just behavior issue, it is greatly an environmental (wider environment- ecology, natural, behavior, mental, economics, political etc) issue and lastly, it is an outcome of modernity with all its amenities. For the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific genetic studies (mitochondrial genes) shows a genetic predisposition.-Genetic Studies out of Kagawa Nutrition University in Saitama. Therefore, the solution to obesity is the whole of society approach.
Jailee 11th April 2010	Thank you so much for the graph. It really interprates the information well.
yo 10th April 2010	actually other countries are not that far away from America.They're catching up.
sohimm 6th April 2010	any stats for eating disorder?
alvin dixion 6th April 2010	America is fat and thats because of fast food Stop eating it
RAJU, A.P, INDIA 4th April 2010	THE SPREADING HEAVY PROBLEM OF THE WORLD IS OBESITY. A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME IS TO CHALKOUT TO CURB THIS PROBLEM. YOGA IS BETTER WAY TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS PROBLEM. THE GREAT SCIENCE OF YOGA ONLY A RAY IN THE ILL HEALTH DARKNESS.
Zachus 26th March 2010	BMI does not take into account for muscle or bone size.
AMBER 25th March 2010	I FEEL THAT OBESE PEOPLE SHOULD LOSE WEIGHT
Noojoo 25th March 2010	American Samoa is actually at 93.5% (World health organization)
Sharel 22nd March 2010	wow! i can't believe some of the comments on here...no being fat is not ok, at all, and i don't think fat people deserve any special treatment. you need to start taking care of yourself. if you don't care about yourself why would anyone else want to. as for the guy who is writing about licking chocolate off of guys, you must have had one terrible childhood because you are begging for attention and it's pathetic. come on people. we live in the best country in the world! and it got that way bc people worked really hard and endured a lot of hardships for us to have it like this...don't take it for granted! don't be lazy go our and live life and stop making our health care prices rise bc you don't know how to control your eating habits.
daniel 19th March 2010	This is based on OBESITY, other statistics I have seen with the islands people are talking about it just OVERWEIGHT which includes obese. Maybe this is also why the rankings are so different
nycgirl 15th March 2010	But, crabby mccrabby, I do agree with you on the obese thing for sure! It's just so unhealthy and seems uncomfortable. I don't know why anyone would want to carry around a bunch of weight like that. And with sooo much yummy, delish, interesting food in the world, why eat at fast food extablishments (which btw, are making billions off of feeding people something they make in a factory in like Idaho or Kansas, to look like food) and buy prepackaged, preservative filled, with a ton of sugar, salt and red and blue dye #whatever?! Don't get me wrong, I buy packaged food sometimes, but, it is NEVER fake or has added preservatives, inhibitors, growth hormones, dyes, etc., etc... YUK!!! If a product lists 15-20, or even 10-15, or more ingredients, it's not food. Well, i think you know what i mean.
B 7th March 2010	yes mcdonalds does sell salads but even the salads contain sugar.
Thomas R 6th March 2010	WHO indicates Kiribati has a higher rate of overweight people than the US, but I'm not sure on obesity. I think it's likely higher there too, but it's likely too small a nation to be listed. Germany I think also has more of a weight issue than this indicates. This is going by other sources and people I know who've dealt with Germans or lived there. I don't know if many are like Augustus from "Willy Wonka", but they did start some obesity program so are concerned.
Joe Biden 4th March 2010	@ Mike Johnson those salads offered by McDonalds have tons of fat and sugar and carbs
#2 4th March 2010	Response to Banaphone: I agree. there is not excuse for obesity anywhere in the world
Melissa M. 3rd March 2010	Im so fat. Could it be because i eat lunch at Mcdonalds everyday?
cheeseburger 2nd March 2010	i love cheeseburgers, they make me fat, but i have the money to buy them all the time, poor people are skinny cuz they can't afford food. fatness is a sign of wealth in my eyes
orcdoubleax 26th February 2010	I am fat because I am unactive. My job is extrealy busy and stressful. I make bad lunch decisions at work because there are very few healthy options avaliable in the industrial park where I work. Yes I could make healthy lunches, and force myself to be active when I get home. the downside is that this would take up all the little downtime I have. It is not a factor for me, but I can understand how many people can not afford to make healty food decisions. The most affordable meal choices are unhealthy. So I would say there is a shared responsiblity between the person and society. I google this as part of a discussion about how well Norway does at the winter olympics. You may notice Norway is very far down this chart. Who would have guessed.
ugly dude 25th February 2010	the site was very useful PS: ANYONE FOR GAMMON???????
Truthteller 24th February 2010	those mcdonald "salads" are very unhealthy as well..do ur research
Mike Johnson 18th February 2010	I am doctor at the University of Mcdonalds. I would just like to let you all know that Mcdonalds does offer salads and it is not our fault that americans eat the greesy stuff. Americans are fat because they choose to be and if you think about it they are smart, because when we go into world war 3, they can take a bullet and survive months without food. So just think about that before you criticise the United States of America
adreana 2nd February 2010	Im doing a report and i find out its true
American&ProudOfIt 1st February 2010	Living in a wealthy country does not guarantee healthy citizens. Americans, unlike Canadians and Brits, DO NOT have free health care. Many Americans live in poverty, regardless of what you see on TV! Furthermore; When it is cheaper to feed your children from McDonalds value menu, than make a healthy meal at home, and that is the only choice some families have...then of course, USA will be at the top of the obese charts. Obesity is a world-wide epidemic, it does not only affect Americans or certain races and nationalities. A study done by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, shows 86 percent of American adults will be overweight or obese by 2030 with approximately 96 percent of non-Hispanic black women and 91 percent of Mexican men affected. Our only option is educating people of all races and nationalities, on how to obtain healthy foods and life styles on all budgets. Instead of making fun of over-weight people and where they come from, why not give a helping hand in educating them on how to eat healthier, to be active in their lives and to help create a world that promotes healthy citizens, no matter what part of the world you are from!
LOL 28th January 2010	death cause of eating too much is a pathetic way to die....
haaaana 26th January 2010	obesity is a choice, not genetic.
Jerry 22nd January 2010	where did you get your statistics? The World Health Organization's list is COMPLETELY different to yours. What is the source of your data?
gaurdianAQ 20th January 2010	I don't want to sound like a downer but eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive, heck in most cases I've seen is the unhealthy foods are more expensive the secret is balanced food, and exercise... me Im no super healthy eater... I still like to eat junk food and all that but just don't over dose... I myself don't have a fast metabolism either... I've known people who can eat bags of chips after bags of chips and still not gain weight... it makes me jealous lol... either way you should try games like Dance Dance Revolution... great way to burn a few calories... Wii Fit is also fun... but that comes back to the money issue again... although people should maybe stop criticizing the obese and be supportive... I was just thinking back on the whole exercise thing and realized that I probably get a lot of my exercise from running around my house helping out with my family lol.... then the rest of my time is sitting lol
Seancblack 19th January 2010	Im fat and I have no intention of losing weight, Everything I eat I pay for, and I work hard to do so, and that is my decision. I have a manual job and go swimming/ to the gym 3 times a week, and play football and train with my local team 3 times a week. "Just because you are fat, doesn't mean you are UNfit or UNhealthy".
A 17th January 2010	i am obese myself and yes i do come from a wealthy country however that does not make me wealthy in fact i have a low socioeconomic status thus my family can not afford healthy foods all the time sometimes we don't have food, so banana phone you should have sympathy because a wealthy country does NOT mean wealthy families and also people have medical problems that make them the way they are e.g having a really slow metabolism like me.
Crabby McCrabby 11th January 2010	Go figure. Leave it to the Uk to have the number rate of Obesity in Europe. Well done Jamie Oliver, your plan is doing nothing...yet. Obese people(not those with real problems) should be taxed for being Obese.
evilkillmaster19 9th January 2010	They should do a comparison between percentage of population obese and the number of fast food establishments to see what the correlation is. Although it is really a shame to see DEVELOPED countries taking the top positions when we have the most easy access to healthy foods. Personally i don't really care about who is #1 or #28 for that matter. If you eat healthy, and feel good about it and exercise at least semi-regularly, then really, why does it matter?
Prime Directant 6th January 2010	I would like to argue for the case of the united states that the obesity rate can partially be attributed to the low price of high processed foods. If only the rich can afford fruits and veggies; those on food stamps go on the dollar menu
OB 28th December 2009	Where is Somalia?
Ellie 27th December 2009	Its just amazing that the korea is the 28th of the obesity rate!! I believe Korea and Japan is healthiest!!
Wise Owl 26th December 2009	We all know that our food comes from pig factories, cattle factories and poultry factories where the creatures are pumped full of growth hormonesPYNIL and antibiotics which in turn channel into our bodies. Is it any wonder that the US has the highest occurrence of obesity? And note the level of obesity of countries that ban the importation of US farm products. The proof is in the pudding so to speak.
Chris 26th December 2009	Although America is the fattest now. I've read a few articles stating that obesity rates in Mexico is sky rocketing and Mexico will overtake America for the #1 spot in the near future.
why 16th December 2009	WHERE'S TAIWAN?
broad butts 8th December 2009	when you walk into fast food estaraunts dont go thinking because its in a box it for 1. buckets are for the family. who sits there with a bucket of cola and a but of chicken and thinks thats ok. grease rolling down their chins and 20 diferent dressing stains on their shirts, getting so fat their bloodtype has become gravy and they fart pork chops. get a hold of yourself. eat regular sized portions at regular intervals. work hard. join a sport theres loads available. if sports not your thing then get a diferent hobbie and do some walking. dont start moping and eating more to make yourself feel better.
Jennaia 1st December 2009	Thats just insane! c'mon people, we cant help you if you cant help yourself (¯`v´¯) .`·.¸.·´ ¸.·´.·´¨) ¸.·¨) (¸.·´(¸.·´ (¸.·¨¯`♥
Health Researcher 29th November 2009	Get some negative electrons (Anti Oxidants) in your body. These usually come in the form of FRESH fruit and vegetables. That said the best way I have found to control my weight and increase my level of health is to drink Alkaline Ionized Water. This is truly a wonderful product, every home should have one.
Cayuga 29th November 2009	The US has the highest rate of obesity because it is the ruled by corporate interests. The vacation time in the U.S. is far less than other industrialized nations, people work long hours and do not have time to cook homemade food. The US is a haven for right-wing ideas: we still have the death penalty, spanking in schools and also, no universal health care. It is a nation run by angry kooks. I hope Obama can change things.
Clarissa Maley 29th November 2009	Hi guys, what I realy think is that people have to try to eat healthier foods. Being obese is a big problem because it can cause many other heart problems etc. This page is a really good page so people can know if their country is with a high percentage of obesity or not. Thank you
Eddy 27th November 2009	The reason Americans can't afford healthcare is because they are overweight or obese. If they would eat right and exercise they wouldn't have to worry about going to the doctor so often. I understand in some cases that isn't the issue but in a lot it is.
Shaun 20th November 2009	Sorry Edria, but the fact that you mention BMI in a respectful way tells me you don't know what you're talking about. The Belgian who came up with this in the 19th century said at the time that it should not be used for individuals. It was developed for use with large groups. Waist measurement, calipers, or looking in the mirror are far better. The BMI does not take into account the extra weight active people gain in muscle and connective tissue development. Most NBA players "fail" the BMI test. And the constant used in the original formula is an arbitrary one "plugged" in to make it work so to speak. The BMI is unscientific.
guy 11th November 2009	IT TAKES 100 DAYS TO GAIN 100 POUNDS!! if you eat at a fast food store and you have 3,500 calories a day than u r gaining 1 pound a day. so i can believe it
Melinda Graham 3rd November 2009	I am not the least surprised in these stats especially pointing to the u.s. Certainly not happy with it and no wonder I hardly ever fry my foods nor do I take my children to fast food places...
Lotus 31st October 2009	nauru and I think its kuwait or qatar have more obese people than usa. in nauru 90% of people are obese/overweight because of food shortage.
Martha B~ 30th October 2009	Something isn't quite adding up here. If you check the stats for obesity in women, and for men, nether U.S. gender is listed as a chubby contributor. How then can the US lead the obesity category? Where are the fuzzy logic stat states stats?
CoNfuS3d 28th October 2009	is this for teens or whole population? i don't get this??? :(
Lyndon Crabbe 6th October 2009	Can anyone help me find historical obesity statistics? I want to see how obesity rates have grown over time.
Dan (USA) 5th October 2009	First, if you look at the chart on this site for "obesity in men" the United States is not on it. Same with "obesity in women". How is it possible that the United States is first on this list? Second, it says for Austrailia, US, and UK it was based on health examinations, but how often do healthy people need to see doctors? Finally, BMI is a joke. According to the BMI charts I'm overweight and I can tell you I'm definitely not. They should use something more accurate like this thing: adamsnoggin.blogspot.com/2009/09/us-navy-body-fat-calculator.html
javi 27th September 2009	heyy... what about with chile?
eddie 24th September 2009	as noted by edria the BMI does not take into account certain factors that make it somewhat inaccurate i work out regularly and at 5' 10" and over 206 pounds my BMI 29.6 just short of obese yet when using the much more accurate skinfold measure method my body fat is in the 15% range (obesity is > 25%) which would be considered "fit" america does have a problem with obesity but using BMI as the only criteria can actually show increased obesity amongst certain groups who have a larger muscle mass and very healthy or even low levels of body fat
raghavendra 15th September 2009	This information is good but if you can provide the rating of India it will be useful for me.Iam working on anti-obesity project.so it will be useful for me
jessica 15th September 2009	this is good info! thanks :)
S 12th September 2009	Yeah, thanks for the information, doing Social studies homework drives you insane without any good information and finally I find some. :]
Mike 11th September 2009	Oddly...or perhaps not....2 of the top 3 also carry the highest foreign debt load.....hmmmm
lisa 8th September 2009	genetic factors and environmental factors plays a big role in obesity
Lili (Canadian living in France) 17th August 2009	Why does everybody have to get so personal about how their country scored!? It's not a game, it's a fact and nobody is pointing fingers. Each person has to decide how they want to live their life and we just have one to live.
mujahid khan 11th August 2009	obesity cannot only measured on the basis of BMI more specific data should be used to calculate obesity percentage like body fat percentage , hip and waist ratio
Jake (America) 14th July 2009	Eddie: Let's accept that the numbers are exactly correct, but there is still a larger problem. Ignore the valid concerns that only three of the numbers were developed from actual observation (US, UK, and Australia -the rest were self-reported.) The assumption is made that obesity contributes to fatal illnesses. And that fatal illness at a young(er) age are a source of significant health care costs. Isn't a much larger and more expensive cost realized when people reach an age that they are vulnerable to more complete systemic health failure? It would seem that fighting death by old age is much more expensive than managing a losing battle with obesity. Isn't obesity an advantage to the public coffers therefore? Shouldn't we encourage behavior that causes premature expiration?
margaret (tx) 8th July 2009	Just want to say that I am an American currently within "normal" bmi. I have just recently achieved this (down from 33.8 bmi), so I cannot yet say I have maintained, though obviously I plan to. I am just doing my patriotic duty to reduce the shame of the american obesity epidemic. My husband and our 2 college-age children are also normal bmi. I can be a bit obnoxious now, not unlike an ex-smoker who can no longer tolerate the smell of cigarettes. Because obesity can be a precursor to many health problems, people should be encouraged to maintain healthy weight, perhaps through health insurance rebates, or tax refunds. Obesity costs our nation a lot of money, and the rest of us subsidize others unhealthy habits through health insurance premiums and taxes.
sally li 1st July 2009	I would like to see where is China and Hong Kong Chinse on the ranking.
MOHAMAD 16th June 2009	WHAT DOES IT MEAN HOSPITAL BEDS AMOUNT 2.2 PER 1000 PPL 2.2?
Matt 5th June 2009	Hey im a uni student doing a majour study comparing the prevelance of obesity in Australia, America and India. Please use more recent studies! This site always comes up on google and i would love to use it for reference. Cheers, Matt.
awesome 12th May 2009	i feel disgusted that Austalia is ranked 6th on the ladder out of 29 country.
Anthony M. Hawai 23rd April 2009	I think people under estimate obese people because we eat to have fun
zara afshaan 15th April 2009	obesity is sad... and should not happen
biannca (QLD Bloomsbury) 23rd March 2009	obesity levels in Queensland 100 years ago? please answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meh (Behhh) 4th March 2009	Anyone know where I can find stats US State for obesity in '03?
Jessica (Virginia) 12th February 2009	To the people who say that Americans or "yanks" are fat, well look around your own countries too. Our country is the top percentage, but Australia is number six and the United Kingdom is number three. There are people all over the world that are overweight, not just people in America. You're not all high and mighty, so stop acting like it.
jennifer (lagos,Nigeria) 29th January 2009	The obvious truth is that yanks eat a lot.they like big things and that includes thier cars, houses and food above all.they sure have a lot to eat unlike other nations that are lacking.thumps up to the yanks but i would also advice they cut down thier calore intake.
Pickled Peach (Australia) 11th January 2009	As an American living in Australia, I'm happy to inform you that in fact, Australia has recently been found to be THE MOST obese country...according to the Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne. Surprising but true. Check the sources... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article4171160.ece http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/australia-pips-us-as-worlds-fattest-nation/2008/06/19/1213770827371.html http://www.theage.com.au/national/australia-wins-world-heavyweight-title-20080619-2tfo.html
Prefontaine Rules (Good 'Ol USA) 6th January 2009	Of course, we must all look at the other variables as well, like why people eat so much. Depression, boredom, etc. And, as stated before, the culture of the country greatly affects the food, and therefore the average weight of a country. It all comes down to a personal choice for a lifestyle though.
Sean (American in Belgium) 31st December 2008	Patrick from Australia, I agree totally with Joe Mama. Before you call someone a fool, you should also read what the person you criticize wrote. Eddie was wrong, as has been pointed out, but he talked about Austria, not Australia. As an Aussie, do you perhaps have a complex? I recommend you always start with respect for a person you wish to debate. Otherwise, you do not sound like someone who relies on facts - just emotion.
Carrie (MA) 15th December 2008	Brian, are you saying Japan and all the rest of the countries on the bottom of the list are not free countries. The population of the US is less likely to take responsibility for their own actions. "Yeah I'm fat but McDonalds made me this way" Japan has the 2nd largest number of McDonalds in the world and still has the lowest obesity rate. We need to have more discipline and realize that being fat is our own fault.
Spookshow42 (US, Sadly) 2nd December 2008	Eh, don't kid yourselves. The US is loaded with fatties. I live here. I see them all the time. We put butter in everything, by the cup and what we don't, we fry in grease. I think if people would take care of themselves and eat right and maybe get off their bums, we wouldn't have this topic. Heh, I got RUDELY told to move today in the grocery by a fat cow of a woman, who wouldn't have needed me to move at all if she wasn't the size of a mini cooper.
Catalyst (United States of America) 1st December 2008	Why does everyone seem so focused on the fact that America is "fat"? Why can't we focus on the fact that people are addicted to food and in more ways than one.Instead of asking how did we get here we need to figure out how to fix it. People are dieing, people are depressed, and people are buying food that is made by people who don't care that what they make is inorganic and poison. America has the potential to be the healthiest nation, not the thinnest, the HEALTHIEST. We have so much access to great food that in no way will make us "fat" and we have the knowledge to live longer and healthier than anyone. So what's stopping us?
Shamick (Lexington, KY) 17th November 2008	statistics use PERCENTAGES not totals!!!!! USA leads but note that Slovakia (part of ex Czechoslovakia) of a size about half the state of KY (if that even) with income per capita most likely way smaller than USA is 4th!!!! Slovakia is like 10 years old as a country. Get a trip to England to see obesity too ... Obesity is world wide problem.
Alexa Telhiero (UK) 2nd November 2008	Did any of those who called Eddie stupid and foolish actually look at what he said? Actually, you know, understand what he was saying?
Beth 18th September 2008	The BMI is not an accurate way to test for obesity. It doesn't even take into consideration the gender of the person. They should test on how much fat a person has around their waist.
Michelle (Australia) 12th September 2008	Hey Eddie - Austria isn't even on the list (it's a country in Europe, FYI) - perhaps you meant 'Australia'? Y'know, one of your partners in the 'Coalition of the Willing'. And you guys wonder why everyone thinks Americans are stupid!!
Steph (USA) 10th September 2008	The location that people live in does effect the way people live and eat. America is the jackpot if you want to see the places most fastfood restaurants are "born". Hence, Americans are exposed to fastfood restaurants, specifically everyday and for convinience, they eat it. The percentage is counting for the population and people but not land. and land doesnt matter, its the obese percentage out of the people that matters in statistics.
Jae Estrada (California, USA) 22nd August 2008	BMI, although not a perfect gauge for obesity, is still a good indicator, and here's why: we are speaking in averages. Sure, there is a body builder out there that has a massive BMI, but no fat, and they will be part of the smaller population outliers. But, when viewing a whole nation's population as one, BMI works well. Although, I must agree, percent of body fat is the best indicator.
Edoardo.Z (Mexico) 12th August 2008	I agree with our folks in USA.. the obesity is related to all the processed food that we are exposed every time more often due to a fast living. The rates in Mexico increased since all those fast food restaurants settled down here about 15 years ago. McDonalds and their kind
Sharon (New York State) 31st July 2008	Everyone knows the US leads in obesity, but what surprised me is that many other nations are not far behind. Gosh, including Australia, Patrick. Eddie's comments are indeed wrong, but at least we are not as obnoxious and arrogant as some who posted here.
Jasmine (Australia) 17th July 2008	the US sells its fast food very cheaply compared to Australia. You could get twice as much in the USA for the same amount of money here. Yet Australia has recently been named the biggest nation in the world... Maybe this is because Australians can afford junk food according to where we lie on the poverty line statistics. although BMI can be slightly misleading, there is a realism in it. Anyone who weighs over 150kg and is 160-170cm hs a weight problem for sure. Muscle can only make ou weigh so much. by the way GO PATRICK
Jonnyboy (Anywhere) 3rd July 2008	America is a changing country, now half of it is inhabitated by blacks and Mexicans, probably the biggest reason why "Americans" are recorded as being so overweight. Does that sound too harsh? Well reality often is.
Joel (US (Boston)) 22nd June 2008	In fairness to our hefty English-speaking selves, we should note that the statistics apparently overstate obesity for the no. 1, 3, and 6: "For Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, figures are based on health examinations, rather than self-reported information. Obesity estimates derived from health examinations are generally higher and more reliable than those coming from self-reports, because they preclude any misreporting of people's height and weight." Also, in the US, the problem is heavily concentrated in the South, and to a lesser extent the Midwest. By most quality of life statistical measures (crime, income, health), these regions of the country look like markedly different countries from the rest of the US. That's why New York does not look much different from Paris, waist-wise.
Jason Roberto (USA) 20th June 2008	Actually, the WHO claims that American is 7th on the fattest nations list. The first 5? All pacific island countries, strange as that may be. The first has 94% people over weight. And it goes down the line. Note this is fat as in overweight, not obesity, so don't tell me the study isn't real. I don't care what country you are from, just push your damn self away from the table and go get some exercise... it isn't that bad, i promise.
Sydneyrooster (Sydney, Australia) 19th June 2008	BMI is misleading. Can you imagine Schwarzenegger's BMI after all the years of bodybuilding? A healthy NFL, Canadian FL, Rugby Union or Rugby League player will also have a BMI over 30. And bodybuilders will also be denser in mass because muscle is denser than adipose tissue (fat).
Camilla. (Hong Kong) 4th June 2008	It's all the junk food Americans eat. They eat WAY too much. McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Ruby Tuesday's, TGI Friday's, i mean, COME ON. Those burgers are bigger than anything I've ever seen. I feel SO bad for Africa. We should give them our burgers.
Armanda (mexico) 2nd June 2008	Yeah culture has alot to do with what you weigh i know were i'm from in Mexico its not unusual to see a dinner table filled with the most unhealthy food you have ever seen i am not overweight myself but a lot of people in my family are.
Ronald McDonald (usa) 30th May 2008	I believe that mcdonalds is responsible, all outlets should be burnt.
William (US&A) 8th May 2008	Quit trashing Eddie. But yeah eddie America is fat. Conversely, we also have the most fit people in America (Olympic medals anyone? amirite?). America is a land of extremes, but we're getting our problems under control, however slowly.
Ethan (US) 2nd May 2008	Jeff, being from a country that ranks #3 on the fattest in the world, I wouldn't be so quick to pass judgement..
sofat (Singapore) 11th April 2008	To an american such as Eddie, being fat on the national level means weighing more in total than the land they're standing on. Glad I got the opportunity to clear that up.
king george (usa) 23rd February 2008	Enough with the european dribble. Look at the statistics for per capita obesity related mortality and you see a more realistic overview of obesity, and guess what, a european country leads the list. This statistic is based on faulty data. The only group of data collected in a non-subjective (self reporting) way is that of the USA. ALL the other countries have subjectively reported their weight and height. Has anyone ever heard of people underestimating their weight and overestimating their height?? The comments here reflect the wishful thinking of politically motivated people and not a critical review of the available facts.
Joe (South Korea) 13th January 2008	Im not sure that South Koreans walk a lot as a rule. There are certainly a lot of cars on the road and I think we'll see a fair increase in % in the next 10 years. There's some pretty chunky kids over here, mind boggling amounts of fast food and an unrivaled passion for computer games.
kc 3rd January 2008	It doesn't really matter which country is the fattest, the point is that every country is getting fat. i don't see a poll done to show which country lost the most weight. everyone around the world needs to get off their butts and lay off the fast food. just because one country is fatter then another doesn't mean its the only fat country. we are all on this world together. and a little message to Jaff of Uk your country came in third so if i were you i would shut the f*** up.
becky .d. (massachusetts) 15th November 2007	The United States of America should do something about the unhealthy fast food resterants. milk is about 5$ for a gallen. Many people think why should i get expensive healthy food when i can just go to McDonalds and look at the dollar menue. You can get a whole meal vs. a gallen of milk. For my understanding i will subjest that they should lover the prices for milk and other healthy snacks.
Moni (US) 6th September 2007	Jason from California is spot on. What they should show is % of body fat, not BMI. I am not disputing that the US should be on the top of the list; one look at our people and it's obvious there is a serious problem here. But what surprised me was, for example, the ranking for Greece. I just got back from holidays there and I was all over the country, and I saw very few fat people compared to back home in the US. BMI is misleading and a BMI of 30+ does not always equal obesity.
Thomas R (US) 28th August 2007	I thought I read a recent study that said the fattest US state is Mississippi with "30.6% obesity." http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,,-6880611,00.html (As this is not a pro-US source) If that's correct how can the average for the US be 30.6%? I thought it was more like 25%-26%, which would still put the US above any nation listed.
paresh khanorkar (auckland) 13th August 2007	i need information on obesity i.e. government expanditure to treat the obesity. people spent per capita on junk food,high sugar drink, obesity graph, measures taken by government to control the obesity,and action taken by any oter country
Patrick (Australia) 28th June 2007	Eddie, your an absolute fool. I believe the statistics here refer to a per capita measure. Hence the "%" symbol. And if you didnt realise, the Australian population (just over 20 million) to land mass ratio far outweighs the US. If it didnt, then the US would have to be 10x the size of Aus. But wait a minute, that statistic has absolutely no relevance in this argument of obesity. Gosh, Americans must be stupid as well as fat.
Jason (California) 10th June 2007	Heidi, 64% of Americans are overweight, 33% or so are obese. The terms are not interchangeable - obese is a BMI greater than 30, overweight higher than 25. I have a BMI close to 30 but have very little body fat (I'm not even overweight) - I train at the gym and am very muscular. Some of these figures are really misleading.
Hannah (UK) 12th May 2007	BMI isnt the 'porportion of your body weight that is made of fat'. Its a standard number which compares your height and your weight, so that people can be compared by their BMIs, rather than just weight. A healthy BMI is 19-25
Hannah (UK) 12th May 2007	Land mass? yes it is a large country and that is why the statistics use PERCENTAGES not totals. And 'population to land mass ratio'? Why does the number of people compared to the size of the land they live on make a direct difference?
Amy (America) 7th April 2007	Well statistics do lie considering people lie, but lets say 30% is true because I do see a lot of fat people walking down the street when I go out in D.C, We should be happy we can be fat if we want we are the home of the free u want to be fat thats your choice not anyone else's , if you want to be thin go for it. it shows nothing more then our being able to do so from our freedom as a country , unfortunately we get a leader who brings the Christian religion into a war of no relevance to our religion . Although if we leave in a few years everyone will say either why didn't America stop the corruption in these countries ( Iraq , Afghanistan ) or why did they attack them , as a world we tend to look at a cup half empty not half full and I truly believe it will take all of our countries to stop the insanity in the middle east ( global warming ) they cause is ridiculous with chlorine bombs and chemical weapons of small caliber not an excuse to invade Iraq but still it should be cleaned up , if attacking is what must happen then must it shall but I think I speak for everyone in America when I say don't blame us for an action our leader makes we don't all necessarily follow him
Janonymous (nowhere) 17th September 2006	BMI stands for "Body Mass Index" and is the porportion of your body weight that is made of fat
Leslie (Taiwan) 5th September 2006	Where is the obesity percentage of Taiwan?
Heidi (California) 25th June 2006	I'm having trouble with the statistics in general, quite a few of the scholary journals I read while researching this topic stated that 64% of adult Americans are obese.
Ben 7th November 2005	New Zealand is up there too. Apparently I, like many top athletes in this country (I'm not say I am one) am considered overweight. I am physically active, BMI is quite inaccurate :)
Oliver 16th October 2005	So where are the stats for the US??? It has the most overweight population in the world!
Geoff 10th September 2005	Poor Trevor. He obviously knows perfectly well that land mass has no relation to obesity! He was just politely pointing out Eddie's nonsense.
Caprielle 16th July 2005	Has anyone actually clicked on the link "BMI" in the definition? Is it supposed to link to the definition for Broadcast Music Incorporated?
Rotten 1st May 2005	According to the original OECD report, the US had 30% of its population meeting the OECD standard for obesity.
James 29th April 2005	If you look at the OECD chart cited as the source for this list, the US is at 30.6% of total population. Why is it not at no. 1 on this list? Somebody just referred me to this site with enthusiasm, but this seems like such a glaring error.
Trevor 11th April 2005	I agree that omiting the US is a pity. With regard to Eddie's point, what is the value of obesity in relation to land mass? That seems to me to be meaningless, or maybe I've missed the point....
Eddie 6th April 2005	The US has the most overweight people but per capita, Austria has the most. The US comes in 5th or so...big population, big land mass. The only other countries that can compare to the USA are China, India, Brazil, and the EU as a whole. Nobody else has a population to land mass ratio resembling the US.
Edria Murray Staff editor 21st February 2005	Body mass index (BMI) is one indicator of ideal body weight. It is calculated by comparing the persons weight to their height squared. A healthy person has a BMI of 18.5 to 25. Obesity is a risk factor for chronic and often fatal illness including href=/graph/hea_hea_dis_dea>heart disease , cancer and href=/graph/mor_uns_dia_mel>diabetes . In some cases href=/graph/mor_obe&int=-1>obesity itself is the direct cause of death.

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