Expanding Waistlines
America trims down: No longer the fattest developed country in the world
America has lost a title it never wanted in the first place: It's no longer the fattest country in the Western Hemisphere. The new winner? Mexico, which is also one of the fattest countries in the world, according to the State of Food and Agriculture.
With a 32.8 percent obesity rate, Mexico has now surpassed America’s 31.8 percent obesity rate to earn the unfortunate status as the most obese developed country. However, it is not the very fattest; a few islands in the Pacific Ocean greatly outweigh Mexico and America.
Nauru boasts a 71.1 percent obesity rate, Cook Islands have a 64.1 percent obesity rate, and Marshall Islands weigh in with a 46.5 percent obesity rate. Those all make Mexico look svelte.
One out of three children in Mexico has been classified as overweight. Meanwhile, 69 percent of men and 73 percent of women in Mexico are considered overweight or obese. Experts link the increase in Mexico’s obesity to the growing economic gap between the classes as well as the rise in movement to urban areas.
Healthy diets are less affordable, and fast food is easy to find in the cities. More than 70,000 deaths each year in Mexico are attributed to weight-related diseases.
