10 most "fat" countries in the world

WHO (World Health Organization) - has been sounding the alarm for a long time, because about 30% of the world's population suffers from obesity, and an even larger percentage of the world's population is at risk. Experts have compiled a rating of countries in terms of obesity in the population.

It is noteworthy that this rating includes mainly countries from the Pacific region. Russia, thank God, has not yet managed to break out into the leaders, but the indicators of our country are also not comforting. What influenced the "obesity" of the nation and what to do next, we still have to find out, but for now let's go directly to the rating.

1. Nauru

The inhabitants of the eponymous island in the Pacific Ocean are the fattest people on the planet. More than half of the entire population - 61% - is prone to obesity pathologies in Nauru. The country is also known for the highest level of diabetes in the world - 31% of local residents. The reason for such disastrous statistics is the increased demand for "fast food" due to the lack of its own food industry and suitable agricultural land. The cheapest and low-quality products are imported from Australia and New Zealand. In addition, corpulence is treated here as a sign of beauty, strength and fertility, so men and women are even specially fed.

2. Cook Islands

55.9% of the indigenous population of the archipelago in Polynesia has health problems in the form of overweight. There are several reasons: a sedentary lifestyle, genetics, dependence on foreign high-calorie food, loss of skills in cooking national dishes and the development of harmful eating habits. All this is the legacy of the colonial era.

3. Palau

The island state in the Philippine Sea must also solve a global issue, because the population of Palau is just over 21 thousand people and 55.3% of them are in the category of overweight people. The risk zone also includes young people, sports on the islands are not held in high esteem, and food is of poor quality. Obesity in this region is a national threat.

4. Marshall Islands

Another state in Micronesia (Pacific Ocean), the inhabitants of which are also familiar with the pernicious disease. The islanders have long replaced the food typical for this region (fresh fish, natural meat, vegetables and fruits) with canned products, flour and sweet products, lemonades and beer, which made 52.9% of all inhabitants of the Marshall Islands obese. Low incomes, a sedentary lifestyle, cultural factors all threaten their national health.

5. Tuvalu

51.6% of Tuvalans are also overweight. As in many other countries in the Pacific region, the reasons for such statistics lie in the love of unhealthy diets and alcohol, as well as in the hot climate, which contributes to the lack of desire to play sports and laziness in principle. And health protection is not particularly involved here, so the situation becomes only frightening.

6. Niue

With a population of just over 1,600, this island state in Polynesia ranks among the fattest countries on the planet because 50% of the island's inhabitants are obese.The peculiarities of the geographical location and isolation, barren land and a shortage of fresh water do not allow the development of agriculture. This forces the government to import cheap products from foreign suppliers, damaging local cuisine and limiting the ability of citizens to eat well.

7. Tonga

Local dishes in the kingdom - an island nation in the South-West of the Pacific Ocean - are rich in cholesterol, fats and other "harmfulness". But this was not always the case: before the onset of globalization, Tongan dishes were traditionally prepared from fresh fish, fruits, root crops and coconuts. Since the 20th century, everything has radically changed: from New Zealand and the United States, they began to actively supply turkey tail and mutton offal at a low cost. In the 21st century, the “benefits” are being reaped: 48.2% of all Tongans are overweight.

8. Samoa

The increase in obesity is associated with an increase in the diet of the islanders of imported goods at an attractive cost with an increased content of unhealthy components. In addition, scientists believe that Samoans have a genetic predisposition to the emergence of a population of "big people". That is why 47.3% of residents have already crossed the line and have an increased body mass index.

9. Kiribati

The epidemic of completeness also swept this state from the region of Micronesia and Polynesia. After Kiribati became a participant in world economic processes, illnesses of an unhealthy lifestyle became common there, which is associated with an increase in the diet of local residents of rice, sugar, canned food and other non-traditional products for the local population.

Despite the fact that fish is caught here, all of it is exported and is the main source of income, 46% of the population of Kiribati has a high body mass index.

10. Kuwait

For several years, a small country in southwest Asia entered the ten thickest regions in the world. 37.9% of the population fell in love with fastfood, brought in at the time by the American troops who fought in the Persian Gulf. At the same time, there has been a sharp leap in economic development due to the active development of oil fields. Historically, the region was inhabited by desert nomads, and fatness among them was considered a sign of wealth. Therefore, the increased well-being of citizens became an opportunity to maintain weight and the trend of increasing body weight.

Table of the level of obesity of the population in the countries of the world

Based on statistics from the World Health Organization for 2018.