List of countries by obesity rate: Overweight and obesity, resulting from excessive fat accumulation, have become significant health concerns today, with global adult obesity having more than doubled since 1990, while adolescent obesity has quadrupled during the same period, WHO reports. In the modern era, nutrition has shifted significantly, with a focus on imported and processed foods being a major contributing factor, leading to about 43% of adults being overweight and 16% living with obesity, as of 2022. Additionally, nearly 3.3 billion adults will face obesity by 2035, and young adults aged between 5 and 19 years will witness a rise to over 770 million by the same year, according to the World Obesity Atlas 2024 estimates. According to the estimates from the Global Burden of Disease study (IHME, 2024), approximately two-thirds of the 56 million annual deaths result from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and 40% from NCD disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Often linked with and accelerated by overweight and obesity, NCD DALYs cause cancers (neoplasms), coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Today, no country across the globe has been on track towards achieving the WHO's 2013 aim of 'halting the rise' in obesity prevalence by 2030. More than half of the world's population is projected to exceed a healthy weight by 2035, with most of this increase occurring in middle-income countries. In these regions, people often misunderstand obesity, and there is a lack of capacity to address the issue. Top 10 countries with the highest adult (18+ years) obesity rates Small island developing nations in the Pacific have some of the highest obesity rates in the world, along with a significant prevalence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The Lancet journal attributes it to the high consumption of imported ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, this has ultimately contributed to the rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Rank Country Percentage of Obese Adults (18+ years) 1 Tonga 71.7% 2 Nauru 69.9% 3 Cook Islands 68.9% 4 Niue 66.6% 5 Tuvalu 64.2% 6 Samoa 62.4% 7 Bahamas 47.3% 8 Micronesia 47.1% 9 Kiribati 46.3% 10 Marshall Islands 45.9% Source: WHO 2022 data, which was updated in February 2024. Please Note: The data mentioned is the percentage of adults aged 18+ having a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher. The state of the United States of America: According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 65 per cent of adults and 15 per cent of children and adolescents in the U.S. are currently overweight or obese. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2022, the United States ranked 15th globally, with 42 per cent of adults classified as obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted that every state and territory in the United States had an obesity rate exceeding 20%, implying that more than one out of every five individuals in the country was considered obese. The Midwest (35.8%) and South (35.6%) regions had the highest obesity rates, followed by the Northeast (30.5%) and West (29.5%), with states of West Virginia recording the highest obesity rate in the United States at 41%, followed closely by Louisiana and Oklahoma, both at 40%. Factors such as larger portion sizes, the consumption of processed and frozen foods, and the increase in fast-food chains have contributed to this issue. The World Obesity Report 2024 projects a 1.4 per cent annual growth rate in the number of adults with a high BMI from 2020 to 2035, along with a 0.8% annual growth rate in the number of children with a high BMI during the same period. India: In comparison to the United States, India has a better standing in terms of obesity rates. As of 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that 7.27% of adults in India were classified as obese. However, the World Obesity Report 2024 projects an annual growth rate of 4.1% in the number of adults with a high Body Mass Index (BMI) from 2020 to 2035. Additionally, the report anticipates a 6.2% annual growth rate for children with high BMI during the same period. A survey conducted by the National Family Health Survey and The Lancet found that there's a high prevalence of abdominal obesity in India, with 40% among women and 12% among men. It also revealed that 5 to 6 out of 10 women aged 30 to 49 are abdominally obese, particularly in strong among older age groups, urban residents, wealthier sections, and non-vegetarians.
