Behold: the world's 10 fattest countries
It's a big world, after all. We're talking to you, American Samoa. Kiribati, too.
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By Laurie Cunningham — Special to GlobalPost
Published: November 25, 2009 15:27 ET in Commerce
Published: November 25, 2009 15:27 ET in Commerce
The world is growing smaller. And larger. See our list of the world's 10 fattest countries below. Here, a man walks past the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Aug. 17, 2009. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) 
CHICAGO — If you tend to pack on a few pounds over the holidays, blame it on globalization. As the world has grown smaller, we’ve all grown larger — alarmingly so. In countries around the world, waistlines are expanding so rapidly that health experts recently coined a term for the epidemic: globesity.
The common fat-o-meter among nations is body mass index (BMI), a calculation based on a person’s height and weight. The World Health Organization defines “overweight” as an individual with a BMI of 25 or more and “obese” as someone with a BMI of 30 or higher. (To see how you weigh in, use this calculator by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.)
Today, one in three of the world’s adults is overweight and one in 10 is obese. By 2015, WHO estimates the number of chubby adults will balloon to 2.3 billion — equal to the combined populations of China, Europe and the U.S.
The rise in obesity coincides with increased modernization and a worldwide explosion in the availability of highly processed foods. In the past 50 years, more of us have started driving to work instead of walking, opening a box of mac ‘n cheese instead of cooking, pushing computer keys instead of plows and taking the elevator rather than the stairs.
“The combination of these factors is driving obesity all over the world,” said James Hospedales, coordinator for prevention and control of chronic diseases at the Pan American Health Organization. “What’s really alarming is that it’s not just the middle aged, it’s children and adolescents. That’s new.”
In honor of Thanksgiving, a U.S. holiday dedicated to eating until we can’t breathe, we decided to take a look at the Top 10 Fattest Countries in the world, based on national health surveys WHO compiled between 2000 and 2008.
Yes, it's a big world after all:
1) American Samoa, 93.5 percent (of population that's overweight)
Traditionally, Pacific Islanders ate native foods high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat, such as bananas, yams, taro root, coconut and fish. Since World War II, an explosion of obesity on the islands has corresponded with a rise in migration to the U.S., New Zealand, France and Australia. That began to change dietary habits as family members abroad introduced those back home to Western eating and sent money home, giving locals the means to buy more food. Today, this six-island nation in the South Pacific Ocean tops the scales as one of the fattest in the world.
2) Kiribati, 81.5 percent
Between 1964 and 2001, food imports to the least developed Pacific nations, such as Kiribati, which comprises 33 islands clustered around the equator, increased six-fold, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, a United Nations agency established to fight world hunger. Those imports led to a huge influx in fatty food and processed meat, such as Spam and mutton flaps (fatty sheep scraps), often sold at lower prices than native food.
3) U.S., 66.7 percent
In the early 1960s, 24 percent of Americans were overweight. Today, two-thirds of Americans are too fat, and the numbers on the scale keep going up. Health experts attribute the rise to an over-production of oil, fat and sugar — the result of government farm subsidies started in the 1970s that made it much cheaper to manufacture products like high fructose corn syrup, a common ingredient in processed foods. “On top of that, investment policies changed in the early 1980s to require corporations to report growth to Wall Street every 90 days,” said Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor at New York University and author of the book “Food Politics.” “This made food companies seek new ways to market to the public. Obesity was collateral damage.”
4) Germany, 66.5 percent
When Germany found out that it was the fattest nation in Europe, health experts blamed the usual suspects: beer, fatty foods and lack of physical activity. Like the rest of the world, Germans are suffering from an easy availability of junk food and more sedentary jobs and lifestyles. As part of the government’s campaign to reduce obesity levels by 2020, it has launched programs to serve more fruits and vegetables in public schools.
5) Egypt, 66 percent
In the 1960s, Egypt produced enough food to feed its people a steady diet of red meat, poultry, lentils, maize and dairy products. But by the 1980s, the population had outgrown food production, leading to an increase in food imports that created poorer eating habits. Obesity among Egyptian women is particularly high, often attributed to cultural taboos on women exercising or playing sports.
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The author was careful not to
The author was careful not to mention sugars and carbohydrates as the probable cause of the obesity problem.
We have to consider the fact
We have to consider the fact that most of our meat comes from factory farms that mishandle the animals and contaminate them. This includes farm raised sea food. On top of this there is so much produced, we are eating to much meat.
I've repeatedly heard that
I've repeatedly heard that Australia is one of the fattest countries in the world but we're not on the list woohoo. Here's a demotivator for countries that are on it...
http://500motivators.com/motivate/me/obecity-eat-more-fish-fatty/
I'm sure your stats are
I'm sure your stats are factual, but someone should school you in "context". Do we really need to be juxtaposing facts that communicate the idea that "Jewish women in Israel are well educated, slim and trim while Arab women are a bunch of uneducated fatties." I mean, is it not enough that Arab women in Israel have to be denied basic civil rights, their familial homes, clean water, proper health care and nutrition? We now have to sting some facts together to create the impression that they're losers as well?
A meaningless article, that
A meaningless article, that fails to give accurate information on the causes of obesity, and is full of omissions.
With the swine flu/vax fraud in progress, the WHO has little credibilty anyway.
Lets start with the omsssions, because if these are not addressed, whatever diet one may be on, these factors will work against efforts to lose fat.
Many medications, such as for high blood pressure, depression, arthritis etc.cause obesity.
The pathways to obesity of 2 commonly ingested neurotoxins, monosodium glutamate, E621, a flavour enhancer; and Aspartame, an artificial sweetener, have been identified.
Unfermented soy contains phyto-oestrogens that mimic female hormones, and play havoc with the thyroid, causing obesity.
All grains contain lectin plant compounds that desensitise cell membranes to insulin, causing insulin overproduction, aiding obesity.
Grains also contain leptin plant hormones that interrupt signalling between the liver and pancreas, aiding obesity.
Carbohydrates are digested to sugars. These enter the bloodstream, and then, as glucose, first top up the glucose storage, (glycogen), in the muscle and liver. The rest is rapidly converted to bodyfat via the cells` Krebs Cycle, unless vigorous exercise is taking place.
However, digested fat is very slowly converted to glucose by the liver, not to bodyfat.
A high cartbohydrate intake, as advised by the stupid food pyramids, as well as accelerating obesity, raise heart disease causing tri-glycerides.
Any talk of fat/calories is meaningless, as the body has various homeostasis mechanisms, that slow down or speed up metabolic rate, (MR), depending on what, when, how little or how much is eaten.
One such mechanism, thermic effect, is bone structure dependent. A light boned ectomorph, has a high MR rise after a meal, and would burn-off even half gallon of ice cream. A heavy boned endomorph would gain fat on a small slice of apple pie, due to amuch lower MR rise.
Advising against eating (saturated) fats, (as advised by docs. and dieticians duped by the 1953 cholesterol hoax), loses valuable nutrients.
eg Butter contains the omegas fatty acids in perfect proportion, arichidonic acid, short and medium chain fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acids. Also present are selenium, iodine, manganese, zinc, chromium, and lecithin. Butter synthesises vitamin B6 through the friendly intestinal bacteria to lower heart disease-causing homocysteine. Malhotra S L Dr Lancet 1975.
Ms Cunningham exposes herself to my criticism by reprinting the theoretical garbage given out by the WHO, Med. Assns, docs and dieticians, without first doing a little serious research, and opening her physiology textbook.
Dead on, Thomas T. Excellent
Dead on, Thomas T. Excellent commentary. I might add that row-cropping for generations has stripped the soils of essential trace minerals, and their abscense lends heavily to the metabolic disorders that are multiplying. But no minerals are going to make up for the metabolic devastation by way of processed carbohydrate which is flooding world markets. Diabetes will be a primary grim reaper in the decades to come; that is if we are not first levelled by viral pandemics given traction by malnutrition.
"Ms Cunningham exposes
"Ms Cunningham exposes herself to my criticism by reprinting the theoretical garbage given out by the WHO, Med. Assns, docs and dieticians, without first doing a little serious research, and opening her physiology textbook."
Pardon me ThomasT. Not to nit pic, but even the little things exposes you as well.
ie: correct spelling *Dietitian
Ms. Cunningham you need to
Ms. Cunningham you need to travel more and see our butifull Bosnia and Herzegopvina and acctualy see the stuff you write about...this artical you wrote is wrong...do not try to spread the load to my country so you can feel better...we are not fat nation ever...you came up with this story laying in your bed on 24th Nov 2009 assumin stuff......centar for statistics in my coutry did not give you this info because one does not exist for this purpose....this post is silly...travel women travel it my help...the point is i can prove this...
"American Samoa" is not a
"American Samoa" is not a country, but a Territory of the United States. The "six island nation" the writer refers to is simply "Samoa." This may seem like nitpicking, but it is acually important to the story, since there may be economic differences between the American-governed islands and the adjacent ones that would affect diet and lifestyle.
A great article that really
A great article that really hits home just how bad the obesity problem is. Part of the problem is that high calorie food is available cheaply and easily and that with cars and modern gadgets we dont get enough exercise. Maybe if few more people were to take up an activity such as cycling, see http://wickfordwheels.blogspot.com/ as an example then not only could people lose weight, they would also be fitter and happier.
I don't know exactly why it
I don't know exactly why it is so much easier to convince smaller European countries like Denmark (which has massive road areas just for bikers), but near impossible to convince Britons or especially Americans. I'm thinking it's a large variety of things, from Americans being too hooked too long on car culture to a sizeable portion of Americans not believing in the greenhouse effect(giving even less motivation to change.) Also, since about the last 15 years, it's been impossible even to get "natural" foods that aren't loaded with sugars. I remember all too well in college how hard it was even to convince students not to take the elevator up (or worse yet, down) one floor.
BMI isn't a great scale to
BMI isn't a great scale to measure if you're fat.
I think the most important
I think the most important factor along with excess eating is not getting enough oxygen to convert that excess glucose to energy.
Because of the growing need for less physical work, many people need less energy than their ancestors. But the body's desire to eat as much as possible has not changed as it constantly fears of starving to death.
In earlier times, whatever most people ate was used up. But that does not happen anymore.
Plus as we sit indoors and often too many together, the level of oxygen falls off. Most classrooms, work places and transport carriages are not properly ventilated. Oxygen depletes, carbon-di-oxide level goes up. As a result there is very little chance of burning excess sugar obtained from food away. Hence the epidemic rise of obesity along with diabetes and cancer.
Poor people who have to do hard maual work outdoors seldom get obese, get diabetic or get cancer.
If you need more on oxygen depletion and cancer, just google 'Warburg Hypothesis' and see for yourself. But no government to my knowledge imposes mandatory oxygen level measurements in workplaces and classrooms.
Nice article and it's the
Nice article and it's the truth some like it or not. look around you, eastern europeans (croatians and bosnians) are fatter then ever....thanks to american garbage food and lifestyle
"look around you, eastern
"look around you, eastern europeans (croatians and bosnians) are fatter then ever....thanks to american garbage food and lifestyle" - Ned
Yeah, and I'm sure each one of them had a gun held up to their heads and were told to eat all those big macs, while playing the latest MMORPG 9hrs a day in their bedroom.
In America we are victims of
In America we are victims of our own success. We pay the price every day with increased healthcare costs as our society continues to fill itself up on fast food, trans fats and statin drugs. And the liberals in congress think socialized healthcare is the cure. It is not the cure. It's a one way ticket to economic malaise. The solution begins with the individual. You have to make up your mind. Do you want to be healthy or unhealthy? There is no drug or government program that is going to help you decide. You've got to do it yourself.
Excellent site, keep up the
Excellent site, keep up the good work. I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks,
A definite great read…
Obesity is really a very
Obesity is really a very dangerous disease. Nowadays, a lot more and a lot more people are seriously exercising to keep their bodies wholesome and fit. Exercising frequently assist ease the worries on weight gain, obtaining fat or getting sick. You are able to keep your muscles toned and you are able to also stay young searching with exercises. Here in our center - Meth Addition Treatment there are various patients who are also suffering from obesity and fats. Therefore, we recommend them to do exercise and workouts and also take nutritious food. It'll help them in reducing their weight.
We have to consider the fact
We have to consider the fact that most of our meat comes from factory farms that mishandle the animals and contaminate them. This includes farm raised sea food. On top of this there is so much produced, we are eating to much meat.