The most obese country by percentage of obese adults is Nauru, with 61% of adults falling in the obese category. Cook Islands fllows with 55.9%, and Palau just under that at 55.3%. Three other countries have adult populations that are over 50% obese: the Marshall Islands (52.9%), Tuvalu (51.6%), and Niue (50%).
The nations with the highest obesity rates tend to cluster in the South Pacific, with Kiribati and Tonga leading the world in projected 2035 obesity rates at 67%, followed by Samoa at 66%, French Polynesia at 65%, and Micronesia at 64%. The U.S. registers near the top, with a rate of 58%.
It shows Australia had the 6th highest proportion for overweight and obesity combined (65%), and the 5th highest proportion for obesity (30%). These were higher than the OECD averages of 59% and 24% respectively.
The findings mean Australia is the world's most overweight nation, ahead of the notoriously super-sized Americans, who have a 25 per cent obesity rate.
In Australia, currently 63.4 per cent of adults and 24 per cent of children are considered overweight or obese. The World Obesity Federation projects 51 per cent of the global population will be overweight or obese by 2035. The economic impact of the increased rate of obesity is projected to be $6.38 trillion.
The rise in obesity has been attributed to poor eating habits in the country closely related to the availability of fast food since the 1970s, sedentary lifestyles and a decrease in the labour workforce.
Overweight and obesity
Tasmania had the highest rate of adults who were overweight or obese (70.9%), compared with Australian Capital Territory (64.0%) who had the lowest.
Aussie men are the second most obese in OECD countries - Aussie men have the second highest rates of obesity (32%) among 23 OECD countries, behind the USA (38%). Aussie women fared better than men but are still obese at a higher rate than the OECD average.
Australia ranks first among OECD countries for equity and healthcare outcomes, and holds third place for overall healthcare performance, behind Norway and the Netherlands.
Japan's success in avoiding the obesity problem faced by most of the western world is down to three main factors: an appreciation of good food from cradle to grave, a lifestyle that encourages incidental exercise, and a large dollop of paternalism.
Many researchers also believe that Pacific islanders' bodies are genetically hard-wired to store fat more efficiently. This trait used to make a lot of sense — living on a tiny island, highly susceptible to the effects of the weather, often involved long periods of famine and required a great deal of physical labor.
The obesity risk in Vietnam could be low due to factors such as the local cuisine which are mostly organic with a low percentage of oil. The food is not much processed and mostly fresh, and the variety of ingredients used crates balanced meals.
Obesity in New Zealand
New Zealand has the third highest adult obesity rate in the OECD, and our rates continue to increase. One in three adult New Zealanders (over 15 years) is classified as obese, and one in ten children.
Obesity in China is a major health concern according to the WHO, with overall rates of obesity between 5% and 6% for the country, but greater than 20% in some cities where fast food is popular.
HEIGHT AND WEIGHT
The average Australian woman was 161.8 cm tall and weighed 71.1 kg. On average, Australians are growing taller and heavier over time.
For adults, the BMI ranges and classifications are: BMI under 18.5: underweight. BMI between 18.5 and 24.9: healthy weight range. BMI between 25.0 and 29.9: overweight.
The intergenerational cultural, socio-economic and political impact of Australia's colonisation have led to poor nutrition and health including the forced removal of Aboriginal people from traditional lands and a resultant inability to access traditional food sources as Aboriginal people became more urbanised, were ...
The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been: an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars; and.
Prevalence of Overweight and Health Problems
We found that 10.5% of the men and 14.5% of the women in the US are obese; in contrast, obesity is almost nonexistent among older persons in Japan: only 0.9% of Japanese men and 2.3% of Japanese women are obese.
Congratulations Adelaide, we're officially the healthiest city in the nation! Adelaide, tying with Gold Coast, has been named the healthiest cities in Australia in a new study by Mandoe Media, with Melbourne, Perth and Sydney rounding out the top 5.
Tasmania has been named the unhealthiest state in the country with the highest stress levels, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and smoking rates.
The Central Goldfields has the highest obesity rate in the state, with 36.1 per cent of adults obese. Loddon, Greater Bendigo and Campaspe came close, with respective obesity rates of 34.8 per cent, 34.2 per cent and 33 per cent.