Based on recent WHO estimates, 94.5% of Nauru’s residents (15 and older) are overweight, placing it on top of the list of countries with the greatest percentage of overweight people in the world. Joining Nauru, with more than 90% of the population overweight, are the Federated Sates of Micronesia, Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga.
Experts are blaming rapid urbanisation and Western ways of life – unhealthy food choices, lack of exercise and stressful jobs – as the principle causes of this trend. This shift in lifestyle is most pronounced in the South Pacific, home to eight of the ten ‘fattest’ countries on the WHO list. Poverty is also considered to be a key factor, as problems with obesity dramatically increase in countries that are undergoing economical development. Unfortunately, the rapid increase in obesity levels over the last 15 years has led to a number of health complications, notably high rates of type 2 diabetes.
There are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world, and the WHO estimates this could grow by up to 40% over the next 10 years.
To view the list of the most overweight countries, click here >>
Source: Forbes.com, 8 February 2007