Americans have been dethroned from the top step of the podium when it comes to obesity issues. A report by the FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, puts the obesity rate of Egyptians at 34.6% of the adult population and that of Mexicans at 32.8%, against 31, 8% for Americans.
Despite everything, if we look at the proportion of the population that is affected by obesity, it is the micro-states that have the highest rates: the Cook Islands (64.1% of the population is obese) or Tonga (59.6%) as well as certain States of the Arabian Peninsula such as Kuwait (42.8%) or Saudi Arabia (35.2%). But if we take into account the number of inhabitants, it is indeed Mexico and Egypt that are most affected by this scourge.
According to an article published on the US news site Global Post, it is Mexico’s openness to the global economy that may explain the increase in obesity in Mexico. While the traditional diet is based on corn, fruits and vegetables, more and more Mexicans are eating sandwiches and burgers in fast food restaurants, like what has been happening in the United States for several decades. In addition, some Mexicans who have difficulty accessing drinking water consume sodas and other sugary drinks in large quantities. So far, Mexico has taken no action to combat obesity.
However, a study by the Trust for America’s Health, an association aimed at improving the health of Americans, published in late 2012 estimated the obesity rate in the United States at 35%. These more recent figures could call into question the FAO ranking.
In France, obesity affects 15% of the population according to the ObEpi-Roche survey conducted in 2012. Remember that overweight and obesity can have dramatic consequences on health: type 2 diabetes, heart failure, arterial hypertension, osteoarthritis …
