American Samoa has been named as the most obese nation around the world, new data has shown.
Recent figures from the World Health Organization have revealed that 75% of the population in the Polynesian island are classified as obese.
Tonga and Naura followed closely behind, with obesity affecting roughly 70% of people living in these island countries.
Over the last 20 years, obesity rates around the world have significantly increased. Between 1990 and 2022, more than 200 countries tracked their collective waistlines.
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France was the only country to see its obesity rates fall during this time, the data has demonstrated. Nepal, Bangladesh and the African nation of Burkina Faso all saw their obesity rates increase.
International data has shown than roughly one billion adults around the world have a BMI above 30.
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Vietnam and Timor-Leste had the lowest obesity rates in 1990, with less than 0.3 per cent of people living in these countries considered obese at the time.
In 1990, roughly 12.4% of the UK’s population were obese, compared to 28.7% in 2022. This does not include people who are living with overweight.
Obesity rates in the US have gone from 18.5% in 1990 to 42.9% in 2022, ranking them in 18th place on the global scale.
Obesity expert, Professor Alexander Miras said: “This data is incredibly concerning. What’s most concerning is how quickly levels have risen, particularly in parts of the world where they also have a lot of poverty.
“There is a lot of food insecurity in those countries, as well as now, obesity. It just demonstrates that obesity is not being taken seriously.”
Tam Fry, Chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said: “The figures are disastrous. There are more obese people now than the malnourished people in Africa, which has surprised many people.
“This risks global health deteriorating. Obesity is a condition that is eminently preventable. But it is not just a condition in itself, it triggers many other problems which are even more concerning such as type two diabetes, heart conditions, kidney conditions. Therefore, the price of health will go up.”
Cardiometabolic medicine expert, Professor Naveed Sattar said: “Fast food is reaching ever more parts of the world, and with industrialisation, activity levels are declining in parallel. The inevitable consequence is a rise in obesity levels in nearly all countries of the world.”
Professor Miras noted: “COVID had a bi-directional relationship with obesity globally. It caused most people to gain weight so COVID may have exacerbated the situation. But equally, we know people with obesity were more vulnerable to COVID in terms of mortality and morbidity.”
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Professor Sattar said: “The slight decline overall recently may be linked to COVID when weights went up and people quickly tried to reverse it. So, I think we need more data to be sure.
“It is possible that widening use of anti-obesity drugs, especially in private markets by many before they get to a BMI which equals obesity, is slowing the rise in obesity in some countries. But we definitely need to see trends over the next three or four years to be sure.”
Tam Fry added: “There is no doubt that medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro are going to help, but they’re only going to help a certain limited amount of people.
“My fear is that they are actually now mainly being bought by a bunch of people who really should not be on this medication at all. It’s not a beauty aid, it’s a medication, and it’s a very powerful one.”
