Food is an essential part for anyone. You cannot live without eating, but the problem begins when it is not done correctly. Until a few decades ago the main drawback was the malnutrition but now it’s gone to the opposite end of the obesity. It is a very serious situation that is intensifying and it is already a global public health problem. Although it affects the entire planet there are some countries considered to be the most obese because they are leaders in people with this condition.
Clinical definition
To begin with, the World Health Organization (WHO) define overweight and obesity as an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that can be detrimental to health.
The body mass index (BMI) is a simple indicator of the relationship between weight and height that is frequently used to identify overweight and obesity in adults.
Data on overweight and obesity in the world
- In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 and older were overweight, of whom more than 650 million were obese.
- In 2016, 39% of adults aged 18 and over (39% of men and 40% of women) were overweight.
- Overall, in 2016 around 13% of the global adult population (11% of men and 15% of women) were obese.
- Between 1975 and 2016, the global prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled.
The most obese countries in times of Covid-19
As a result of the current pandemic, there was a change in the lifestyle of the world population. Millions of people opted for the home office as a way to continue their work safely. The drawback is that this modality favors the sedentary lifestyle and in the end that impacts health.
In 2021, the Ipsos consultancy carried out the international investigation Actions & Interventions for weight loss. The work included more than 22,000 interviews with people from 30 different countries. It also has a section in which the weight of people was compared before the health emergency and after.
As a result of the above, it was obtained that Mexicans are the ones who gained the most weight during the last year. The report shows an average increase of 8.5 kilos per adult. While in second place is Saudi Arabia (8), Argentina (7.9), Peru (7.7) and Chile (7.5).
Countries with serious food problems
However, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) there is 10 countries considered the most obese in the world. These are the ones with the highest percentage of elderly people with excess body mass.
Based on the updated version of this work, the United States tops the list. It is estimated that almost four out of every 10 adults are obese or overweight. While Mexico appears slightly below with 32.4 percent. Completing the top 3 is New Zealand with 30.7 per cent.
The nations with the fewest obese people
On the other hand, at the opposite extreme are nations such as Japan, South Korea, Italy, Switzerland and Norway, which are the ones with the lowest rates of obesity.
From the current panorama is that recently actions have been taken against obesity. Among the main ones are the prohibition of “junk food” in schools and the establishment of a new food labeling. Therefore, remember that you are also an important part of achieving change. Talk constantly with your patients and mention the importance of staying at their ideal weight. With this, many diseases and ailments can be avoided.