Weight.
We all have it.
So what exactly is it? Well. Weight is a measure of the force exerted on an object due to gravity. Gravity and the thing. We, the things.
It’s typically measured in units like pounds (lb) or kilograms (kg). Weight is different from mass, which is the amount of matter in an object and remains constant regardless of gravity. When we say something has weight, we’re referring to how heavy it feels due to gravitational pull.
So. With eight billion people standing around on the planet, are we getting heavier? Yes, we are. And I do know this. Some places are heavier than others.
Obesity is a thing. And here is a thing. The world’s highest rates of obesity are in a region you might not expect.
For at least the last half-century, obesity has been on the rise around the world, contributing to what many officials consider a public health crisis. The worldwide obesity rate continues to climb. Up and up. And. With it comes a host of health problems.
I would have thought that the USA would have topped the list. But that is not so. Here is a glimpse of the 20 most obese countries, based on data compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO), current through the year 2022.
But what does “obese” actually mean? Well, the current standard refers to people who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30.
The major uptick in obesity worldwide is seen as having really taken off in the years after 1975. And get this. Most estimates place the current rate at around three times higher since that year. The experts don’t quite know why.
In many places, people move from traditional meals to cheap, processed food — combined with sedentary lifestyles.
It knows no boundaries. Obesity is a problem in low-, high- and middle-income countries. It affects all walks of life. Women and men. It hits almost every age group, too.
I say we should eat what we like. But moderation is probably the key to all things, including this.
The top countries, posted in the article on RD.
1. Tonga (71.7%)
This South Pacific island nation has a considerable obesity rate, with nearly three-quarters of the population of 106,858 considered obese.
2. Nauru (69.6%)
Nauru, population 12,668, has the second-highest rate of obesity. The tiny island nation is located in the South Pacific.
3. Cook Islands (68.9%)
With a population of 14,723, the Cook Islands, located in the South Pacific, has the third-highest obesity rate.
4. Niue (66.6%)
The tiny island of Niue, in the South of the Pacific Ocean, with a population of 1,681, comes in at the No. 4 spot on this list, with roughly two-thirds of the population considered obese by WHO standards.
5. Tuvalu (64.2%)
Tuvalu, which is yet another tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, has a population of 11,312. Its obesity rate puts it at No. 5 on this list.
6. Samoa (62.4%)
With a population of 222,382, Samoa is an island with the highest population we’ve encountered so far on this list.
7. Bahamas (47.3%)
At the No. 7 spot, we’re now on the other side of a somewhat conspicuous gap in obesity rates. Previously in the range of 60 percent, the Bahamas, an island of 409,984 people located in the Caribbean, has a rate in the high 40s.
8. Micronesia (47.1%)
Back in the Pacific — although farther north than previous entries, it’s still in the tropics — Micronesia, population 114,164, has an obesity rate that puts it in the No. 8 spot.
9. Kiribati (46.3%)
Not far from Micronesia is Kiribati, another island nation. It has a population of 131,232 and an obesity rate rate of just over 46 percent.
10. Marshall Islands (45.9%)
Located between Hawaii and the Philippines, the archipelago known as the Marshall Islands has a population of 41,569, and it rounds out the top ten countries for obesity rate.
11. Saint Kitts & Nevis (45.6%)
A dual-island nation (as opposed to some of the single-island nations that have appeared on this list so far), St. Kitts & Nevis has a population of 47,657.
12. Egypt (44.3%)
With a population of 111 million, Egypt is a far more populous country than any that has yet appeared. The heavy reliance on staples such as refined flour and sugar is a likely cause of Egypt’s growing obesity rate.
13. Qatar (43.1%)
Located in the Persian Gulf, Qatar has a population of 2.7 million. Recent years have seen an uptick in the number of obese adults, and it now stands as one of the most obese countries worldwide.
14. Belize (42.3%)
On the southeastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula is Belize. With a population of 405,272, it has a notably high obesity rate.
15. United States (42%)
Long known as a country with a high obesity rate, the United States’ numbers remain high, although not as high as you might have assumed. With a population of 333.3 million, it is the most populous nation we’ve seen yet on this list.
16. Kuwait (41.4%)
4.27 million people live in Kuwait, another Gulf state. It is just behind the United States in its obesity rate.
17. Palau (41.1%)
The nation of Palau has a population of 18,055. Another island nation in the Micronesia region of the Pacific Ocean, Palau, comes in at No. 17 for obesity rates.
18. Saudi Arabia (40.6%)
Officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this large country in the Middle East has a population of 36.41 million. It lands at No. 18 with an obesity rate that’s just over 40 percent.
19. Iraq (40.5%)
Almost tied with Saudi Arabia is Iraq. With a population of 44.5 million, it’s a populous country with a growing obesity problem.
20. Chile (38.9%)
At the bottom of our list of 20 is Chile, a country in South America. With a population of 19.6 million, it has an obesity rate of just below 40 percent.
Who would have guessed these? Surprising, I think.
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“The greatest wealth is health, regardless of size or shape.” – Virgil
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“Weight is irrelevant. It’s all about the worth of your soul.” – Shannon L. Alder
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“You don’t have to carry the weight of the world. Just put it down.” – Carl Austin
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