Countries by Obesity Rates

Overview

The high rates of obesity around the world have long been a problem because of the health consequences that go along with it. Obesity has several underlying causes, including genetic, social, psychological, economic, and environmental influences, just like other chronic disorders. based on the World Obesity Report.

List of countries by obesity rate:

Obesity and overweight, which are caused by excessive fat accumulation, have become serious health issues in modern times. The World Health Organization states that while obesity among kids has increased, adult obesity has tripled significantly since 1990.

As of 2022, over 43% of adults were overweight and 16% were obese due to an abrupt change in modern nutrition, with a concentration on imported and processed foods being a major contributing factor.

The Global Burden of Disease study (IHME, 2024) indicates that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for almost two-thirds of the 56 million fatalities that occur each year, with NCD disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) accounting for 40% of these deaths.

NCD DALYs cause diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and malignancies (neoplasms), and they are frequently associated with and aggravated by overweight and obesity.

As of now, no nation has come close to meeting the WHO’s 2013 goal of “halting the rise” in the incidence of obesity by 2030.

By 2035, it is anticipated that over half of the world’s population will weigh more than what is considered healthy, with most of this growth occurring in middle-income nations.

Obesity is frequently misunderstood in these areas, and the problem is not well addressed.

The top 10 countries with the highest prevalence of obesity in adults (18 and over)

The Pacific’s small island developing countries have some of the highest rates of obesity worldwide, and diabetes and cardiovascular disease are also very common.

The increasing prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders has been attributed by the Lancet journal to the high consumption of imported ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Rank	Country	Percentage of Obese (18+)
1	Tonga	71.7%
2	Nauru	69.9%
3	Cook Islands	68.9%
4	Niue	66.6%
5	Tuvalu	64.2%
6	Samoa	62.4%
7	Bahamas	47.3%
8	Micronesia	47.1%
9	Kiribati	46.3%
10	Marshall Islands	45.9%

The Obesity Rates in the USA:

In the United States, roughly 65% of adults and 15% of kids and adolescents have become overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The United States ranked 15th in the world in 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with 42% of persons being obese.

The CDC reports that the obesity rate in all 50 states and territories in the US is over 20%, which means that over half of all Americans are obese. Through a 41% obesity rate, West Virginia currently leads the US, followed by Louisiana and the State of Oklahoma, which have 40% rates.

This problem has been amplified by factors like the rise of fast-food franchises, the consumption of processed and frozen meals, and increased portion sizes.

According to the World Obesity Report 2024, the number of people with a high BMI is expected to increase by 1.4% annually between 2020 and 2035, while the number of children with a high BMI is likely to increase by 0.8% annually during the same time frame.

Obesity Rates In India:

In comparison to the United States of America, India has a significantly reduced obesity ratio. Following data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 7.27% of Indian people were considered obese as of 2022.

The World Obesity Report 2024, however, anticipates that between 2020 and 2035, the number of persons with a high Body Mass Index (BMI) will increase at an annual rate of 4.1%. The survey also projects that children with high BMI will grow at an annual rate of 6.2% all through that time.

The National Family Health Survey and The Lancet conducted a survey that demonstrated that 40% of Indian women and 12% of Indian men suffer from abdominal obesity.

The study also found that 5 to 6 out of 10 women between the ages of 30 and 49 have abdominal obesity, with this prevalence being higher among older adults, residents of cities, affluent groups, and non-vegetarians.

The ten Countries and Nations with the highest rate of Obesity

The only nations on this list having a population of one million or more are the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.

Again, bad eating habits play a role, though there are some cultural variations. The high rate of food inflation in Egypt has forced citizens to eat cheap, high-calorie meals. To reduce food insecurity, the government helps foods like bread, wheat flour, sugar, and stove oil—many of which are related to weight growth.

The effects of rich diets are exacerbated in Qatar, a nation with one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world, by sedentary lifestyles and a hereditary predisposition towards obesity.

Additionally, one of the numerous factors attributed to the high rates of adult and pediatric obesity in the United States is larger portions. Americans consume food 20% more energy on average in 2000 compared with what they would in 1983. They now eat 195 pounds of meat a year, up from 138 pounds in 1953. Additionally, since 1970, they have consumed 45% more grains.

However, it’s important to note that the BMI values used in this dataset do not accurately represent body types with higher levels of muscle and bone mass.

According to the Federation (2019), the following are the main causes of overweight and obesity:

1. Factores genéticos
2. Factores metabólicos
3. Factores ambientales
4. Factores psicológicos
5. Factores socioeconómicos
6. Hábitos alimentarios
7. Actividad física
8. Sueño
9. Consumo de alcohol
10. Medicamentos

Globally, the prevalence of obesity has almost tripled since 1975 (World Health Organization, 2017). a review of recent data, more than 1.9 billion persons aged 18 and older are considered overweight, indicating that obesity rates are rising. It’s crucial to remember that overweight and obesity kill more people than underweight in the majority of nations. But it’s important to keep in mind that obesity is treatable and preventable.

The Top Obesity Rates

1. North America – The obesity rate across adults is around 36.2%.
2. Oceania – about 31.8% of adults are obese.
3. Latin America and the Caribbean – The obesity rate among adults is estimated to be 27.1%.
4. Europe – about 23.3% of adults are obese.
5. Middle East and North Africa –The obesity rate among adults amounts to 22.1%.
6. Sub-Saharan Africa – The obesity rate among adults amounts to 11.4%.
7. Asia – Nearly 11.0% of adults are obese.

By Country

1. United States – generally 79.4 million obese individuals
2. China – generally 57.3 million obese individuals
3. India – generally 45.0 million obese individuals
4. Brazil – generally 29.4 million obese individuals
5. Mexico –generally 26.9 million obese individuals
6. Russia – generally 21.3 million obese individuals
7. Egypt – generally 19.2 million obese individuals
8. Germany – generally 17.3 million obese individuals
9. Pakistan – generally 16.5 million obese individuals
10. Indonesia – generally 16.4 million obese individuals

By City

1. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, USA – about 38.3% obesity rate
2. Shreveport-Bossier City, USA – about 37.4%
3. Memphis, USA – about 37.3% obesity rate
4. Jackson, USA – about 37.3% obesity rate
5. Mobile, USA – about 37.0% obesity rate
6. Montgomery, USA – about 36.5% obesity rate
7. Fort Smith, USA – about 36.4% obesity rate
8. Augusta-Richmond County, USA – about 36.4% obesity rate
9. Beaumont-Port Arthur, USA – about 36.2% obesity rate

FAQs

References

• List of countries by obesity rate. (2024, November 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_obesity_rate
• Obesity rates by country in 2024. (n.d.). https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/obesity-rates-by-country
• Ismael. (2024, July 6). Obesity rates in the world 2023. CER Bariatrics Tijuana. https://cerbariatrics.com/surgery/bariatric-surgery/obesity-rates-in-the-world-2023/
• World Health Organization: WHO. (2024, March 1). Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight