Winning: U.S. Crushes All Other Countries In Latest Obesity Study

Here are some stats from the OECD’s latest study courtesy of the Washington Examiner:

–  In 2015, an estimated 603.7 million adults and 107.7 million children worldwide were obese. That represents about 12 percent of all adults and 5 percent of all children.

–  The prevalence of obesity doubled in 73 countries between 1980 and 2015 and continuously increased in most of the other countries.

–  China and India had the highest number of obese children. China and the U.S. had the highest number of obese adults.

–  Excess body weight accounted for about 4 million deaths — or 7.1 percent of all deaths — in 2015.

–  Almost 70 percent of deaths related to a high BMI were due to cardiovascular disease.

–  The study finds evidence that having a high BMI causes leukemia and several types of cancer, including cancers of the esophagus, liver, breast, uterus, ovary, kidney and thyroid.

–  In rich and poor countries, obesity rates increased, indicating “the problem is not simply a function of income or wealth. Changes in the food environment and food systems are probably major drivers. Increased availability, accessibility, and affordability of energy-dense foods, along with intense marketing of such foods, could explain excess energy intake and weight gain among different populations. The reduced opportunities for physical activity that have followed urbanization and other changes in the built environment have also been considered as potential drivers; however, these changes generally preceded the global increase in obesity and are less likely to be major contributors.”

Obesity among adults, 2015 or nearest year

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Rising overweight rates in adults aged 15-74 years

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Obesity in children aged 3-17 years

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OECD projections show a steady increase in obesity rates until at least 2030 (Figure 5). Obesity levels are expected to be particularly high in the United States, Mexico and England, where 47%, 39% and 35% of the population respectively are projected to be obese in 2030. On the contrary, the increase is expected to be weaker in Italy and Korea, with obesity rates projected to be 13% and 9% in 2030, respectively. The level of obesity in France is projected to nearly match that of Spain, at 21% in 2030. Obesity rates are projected to increase at a faster pace in Korea and Switzerland where rates have been historically low.

Projected rates of obesity 1970 - 2030

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