Obesity – a burgeoning global crisis

More than one in two adults and nearly one in six children are overweight or obese in the 36-nation OECD area, with obesity rates in the United States topping 38 percent, a new report reveals

Obesity rates: Obesity defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥30kg/m2* 

Percentage of adults, 2015 or nearest year       2000 or nearest year

United States 30.9     38.2 
Mexico        24.2     32.4
New Zealand   17.0     30.7
Hungary       18.2     30.0
Australia     21.7     27.9
UK            22.0     26.9
Canada        14.9     25.8 
Chile Earler data not available 25.1 
Finland       11.8     24.8
Germany       11.5     23.6
Ireland       10.0     23.0
 
Least obese populations 
Japan          3.6      3.7
South Korea    3.2      5.3
Italy          8.6      9.8
Switzerland    7.7     10.3
Norway         8.3     12.0 
Sweden        10.4     12.3
Netherlands   10.0     12.8
Austria        9.1     14.7

*BMI is measured as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared.
World Health Organisation define a BMI ≤18.5 as “underweight”, 18.5 to <25 as “normal” 


Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development © GRAPHIC NEWS