Nearly a third of Mexican adults (32.8 percent) are considered obese—people aged 20 and older whose body mass index (BMI) is 30 and above. That edges out the United States, where 31.8 percent of American adults are considered obese.
Syria at 31.6 percent, is the third fattest among developed countries, while Venezuela and Libya are tied for fourth at 30.8 percent.
Mexico's urban lifestyle and rising income levels coupled with malnourishment among the country's poor have helped it claim this unhealthy title.
“The same people who are malnourished are the ones who are becoming obese,” Abelardo Avila, a physician with Mexico's National Nutrition Institute, told the Global Post. “In the poor classes we have obese parents and malnourished children. The worst thing is the children are becoming programmed for obesity. It's a very serious epidemic.”
Diabetes kills an estimated 70,000 people a year in Mexico—"or roughly equal to the deaths authorities say are caused by more than six years of the country's gangland wars," the Post noted.
About 12 percent of the world's total population is obese, according to the U.N. report.
The world's fattest nation overall is Nauru, a South Pacific island where a staggering 71.1 percent of its 10,000 inhabitants are obese.
The U.N. report does not include data for American Samoa, which has been tabbed in the past as the world's fattest country. According to a 2010 World Health Organization report, nearly all of that Pacific island's inhabitants (95 percent) are considered overweight.
On the other end of the scale is Japan, the thinnest developed country. Just 4.5 of Japanese adults are considered obese, the U.N. says.
Prevalence of obesity among adults in developed countries (% obese)
Rank
Country
Rate
1
Mexico
32.8
2
United States
31.8
3
Syria
31.6
4
Venezuela
30.8
4
Libya
30.8
6
Trinidad & Tobago
30.0
7
Vanuatu
29.8
8
Iraq
29.4
8
Argentina
29.4
10
Turkey
29.3
11
Chile
29.1
12
Czech Republic
28.7
13
Lebanon
28.2
14
New Zealand
27.0
14
Slovenia
27.0
16
El Salvador
26.9
17
Malta
26.6
18
Panama
25.8
18
Antigua
25.8
20
Israel
25.5
21
Australia
25.1
21
Saint Vincent
25.1
22
Dominica
25.0
23
United Kingdom
24.9
23
Russia
24.9
25
Hungary
24.8
Source: United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization's 2013 State of Food and Agriculture Report
It's still a lot of Fat People in America though... I mean I saw some White Women who looked like Sumo Wrestlers at Applebees the other day...
On a Side Note, does anyone ever panic when they see Really Fat People Seated in Restaurants ? Like they will eat up all the Lobsters and Shrimp so you they wont have enough stuff for you when you Order ?
@joshmightbe: Not for long. Canada's going to take you guys by surprise.
True - especially since we are so fit in comparison we didn't even show on the list for the top 20. We can simply walk briskly and overtake them.
On a serious note, this is simply indicative of how expensive healthy food is. It's much cheaper (and clearly more enjoyable) to eat junk food and it's resulted in a generation that will not be living to an age their parents will. It's terrible.
@fuchsia_nightingale: Hehe, true, but then we are a tiny country (same rough size as Lake Ontario, or Slovenia lol)
@strider92:I know! it was on the news the other night, apparently we are the most obese Brits now. I did think the mountains were a little lower than they used to be.....
@bumpyboo: Starting to understand why a lot of people I know are going to Wales.........its not that they like it is just they are getting pulled into orbit!
Wait, what? When did you steal that crown from Scotland?
Two birds with one stone.......
Nice.
Wait, wait hold your fire. We can't insult Scotland and Wales until everyone forgets about Andy Murray and the Lions Tour. But, after that, we will make up for lost time............
Wait, wait hold your fire. We can't insult Scotland and Wales until everyone forgets about Andy Murray and the Lions Tour. But, after that, we will make up for lost time............
Yeah I remember switching on the TV and seeing a Scottish bloke holding some gold chalis in his hands and thinking "Strange.......Crimewatch doesn't start until 10pm"
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