Countries by Obesity
- What is the World's Fattest Country?
- What is the World's Skinniest Country?
- What is the Fattest Major Country?
- What is the Skinniest First-World Country?
- What is the Skinniest Country in Europe?
- What is the Fattest Country in Europe?
- Is Mexico Fatter than the United States?
- All Countries by Obesity Rate
- Methodology
What is the World's Fattest Country?
Nauru is the country with highest rate of obesity. According to the World Health Organization, 61% of adults in the small Pacific island nation have a BMI above 30. Of the ten countries with the highest rate of obesity, eight of them are in Oceania.
10 Countries with the Highest Rate of Obesity
| Country | Obesity Rate |
|---|---|
| Nauru | 61.0% |
| Palau | 55.3% |
| Marshall Islands | 52.9% |
| Tuvalu | 51.6% |
| Tonga | 48.2% |
| Samoa | 47.3% |
| Kiribati | 46.0% |
| Federated States of Micronesia | 45.8% |
| Kuwait | 37.9% |
| United States | 36.2% |
What is the World's Skinniest Country?
Vietnam is the country with lowest rate of obesity. According to the World Health Organization, just 2.1% of adults in Vietnam have a BMI above 30. Of the ten countries with the lowest rate of obesity, eight are in Asia.
10 Countries with the Lowest Rate of Obesity
| Country | Obesity Rate |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 2.1% |
| Bangladesh | 3.6% |
| East Timor | 3.8% |
| India | 3.9% |
| Cambodia | 3.9% |
| Nepal | 4.1% |
| Japan | 4.3% |
| Ethiopia | 4.5% |
| South Korea | 4.7% |
| Eritrea | 5.0% |
| Sri Lanka | 5.2% |
| Laos | 5.3% |
What is the Fattest Major Country?
The United States has the highest rate of obesity among countries with a population over 10 million. While the rate of obesity is much lower than in some small Oceanic countries, 36.2% of adults in America have a BMI above 30.
Countries with the Most Obesity > 10 Million
| Country | Obesity Rate |
|---|---|
| United States | 36.2% |
| Saudi Arabia | 35.4% |
| Turkey | 32.1% |
| Egypt | 32.0% |
| New Zealand | 30.8% |
| Iraq | 30.4% |
| Canada | 29.4% |
| Australia | 29.0% |
| Mexico | 28.9% |
| Argentina | 28.3% |
What is the Skinniest First-World Country?
Among developed nations, Japan has the lowest rate of obesity - just 4.3%. South Korea and Singapore follow at 4.3% and 4.7% respectively.
What is the Skinniest Country in Europe?
Bosnia is the European country with the lowest rate of obesity. 17.9% of Bosnians have a BMI over 30. This is less than half the rate of the United States, but still more than 4 times the rate of Japan. Among Western European nations, Switzerland has the lowest rate of obesity.
Skinniest European Countries
| Country | Obesity Rate |
|---|---|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 17.9% |
| Moldova | 18.9% |
| Switzerland | 19.5% |
| Denmark | 19.7% |
| Italy | 19.9% |
| Austria | 20.1% |
| Slovenia | 20.2% |
| Netherlands | 20.4% |
| Slovakia | 20.5% |
| Sweden | 20.6% |
What is the Fattest Country in Europe?
Malta is the European country with the highest rate of obesity. 28.9% of Maltese adults have a BMI over 30. The United Kingdom is close behind with an obesity rate of 27.8%. Most of the major English-speaking countries have a high rate of obesity.
Fattest European Countries
| Country | Obesity Rate |
|---|---|
| Malta | 28.9% |
| United Kingdom | 27.8% |
| Hungary | 26.4% |
| Lithuania | 26.3% |
| Czech Republic | 26.0% |
| Andorra | 25.6% |
| Ireland | 25.3% |
| Bulgaria | 25.0% |
| Greece | 24.9% |
| Belarus | 24.5% |
Is Mexico Fatter than the United States?
No. According to the World Health Organization, the United States has an adult obesity rate of 36.2%, while Mexico's is 28.9%.
All Countries by Obesity Rate
| Continent | Country | Obesity Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Oceania | Nauru | 61.0% |
| Oceania | Palau | 55.3% |
| Oceania | Marshall Islands | 52.9% |
| Oceania | Tuvalu | 51.6% |
| Oceania | Tonga | 48.2% |
| Oceania | Samoa | 47.3% |
| Oceania | Kiribati | 46.0% |
| Oceania | Federated States of Micronesia | 45.8% |
| Asia | Kuwait | 37.9% |
| North America | United States | 36.2% |
| Asia | Jordan | 35.5% |
| Asia | Saudi Arabia | 35.4% |
| Asia | Qatar | 35.1% |
| Africa | Libya | 32.5% |
| Asia | Turkey | 32.1% |
| Asia | Lebanon | 32.0% |
| Africa | Egypt | 32.0% |
| Asia | United Arab Emirates | 31.7% |
| North America | Bahamas | 31.6% |
| Oceania | New Zealand | 30.8% |
| Asia | Iraq | 30.4% |
| Oceania | Fiji | 30.2% |
| Asia | Bahrain | 29.8% |
| North America | Canada | 29.4% |
| Oceania | Australia | 29.0% |
| Europe | Malta | 28.9% |
| North America | Mexico | 28.9% |
| South America | Argentina | 28.3% |
| Africa | South Africa | 28.3% |
| South America | Chile | 28.0% |
| North America | Dominica | 27.9% |
| South America | Uruguay | 27.9% |
| Asia | Syria | 27.8% |
| Europe | United Kingdom | 27.8% |
| North America | Dominican Republic | 27.6% |
| Africa | Algeria | 27.4% |
| Asia | Oman | 27.0% |
| Africa | Tunisia | 26.9% |
| South America | Suriname | 26.4% |
| Europe | Hungary | 26.4% |
| Europe | Lithuania | 26.3% |
| Asia | Israel | 26.1% |
| Africa | Morocco | 26.1% |
| Europe | Czech Republic | 26.0% |
| Asia | Iran | 25.8% |
| North America | Costa Rica | 25.7% |
| Europe | Andorra | 25.6% |
| South America | Venezuela | 25.6% |
| Europe | Ireland | 25.3% |
| Oceania | Vanuatu | 25.2% |
| Europe | Bulgaria | 25.0% |
| Europe | Greece | 24.9% |
| North America | Jamaica | 24.7% |
| North America | El Salvador | 24.6% |
| North America | Cuba | 24.6% |
| Europe | Belarus | 24.5% |
| Europe | Croatia | 24.4% |
| North America | Belize | 24.1% |
| Europe | Ukraine | 24.1% |
| Europe | Spain | 23.8% |
| North America | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 23.7% |
| North America | Nicaragua | 23.7% |
| Europe | Latvia | 23.6% |
| Europe | Montenegro | 23.3% |
| North America | Barbados | 23.1% |
| Europe | Norway | 23.1% |
| Europe | Poland | 23.1% |
| Europe | Russia | 23.1% |
| North America | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 22.9% |
| North America | Panama | 22.7% |
| North America | Haiti | 22.7% |
| Europe | Luxembourg | 22.6% |
| Oceania | Solomon Islands | 22.5% |
| Europe | Romania | 22.5% |
| Europe | Macedonia | 22.4% |
| South America | Colombia | 22.3% |
| Europe | Germany | 22.3% |
| Europe | Finland | 22.2% |
| Europe | Belgium | 22.1% |
| South America | Brazil | 22.1% |
| Europe | Iceland | 21.9% |
| Asia | Cyprus | 21.8% |
| Europe | Albania | 21.7% |
| Asia | Georgia | 21.7% |
| Europe | France | 21.6% |
| Europe | Serbia | 21.5% |
| North America | Honduras | 21.4% |
| North America | Grenada | 21.3% |
| Oceania | Papua New Guinea | 21.3% |
| Europe | Estonia | 21.2% |
| North America | Guatemala | 21.2% |
| Asia | Kazakhstan | 21.0% |
| Europe | Portugal | 20.8% |
| Asia | Mongolia | 20.6% |
| Europe | Sweden | 20.6% |
| Europe | Slovakia | 20.5% |
| Europe | Netherlands | 20.4% |
| South America | Paraguay | 20.3% |
| South America | Guyana | 20.2% |
| Europe | Slovenia | 20.2% |
| Asia | Armenia | 20.2% |
| South America | Bolivia | 20.2% |
| Europe | Austria | 20.1% |
| Asia | Azerbaijan | 19.9% |
| South America | Ecuador | 19.9% |
| Europe | Italy | 19.9% |
| North America | Saint Lucia | 19.7% |
| Europe | Denmark | 19.7% |
| South America | Peru | 19.7% |
| Europe | Switzerland | 19.5% |
| North America | Antigua and Barbuda | 18.9% |
| Africa | Botswana | 18.9% |
| Europe | Moldova | 18.9% |
| North America | Trinidad and Tobago | 18.6% |
| Asia | Turkmenistan | 18.6% |
| Europe | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 17.9% |
| Africa | Namibia | 17.2% |
| Asia | Yemen | 17.1% |
| Africa | Lesotho | 16.6% |
| Asia | Kyrgyzstan | 16.6% |
| Asia | Uzbekistan | 16.6% |
| Africa | Swaziland | 16.5% |
| Asia | Malaysia | 15.6% |
| Africa | Zimbabwe | 15.5% |
| Africa | Gabon | 15.0% |
| Asia | Tajikistan | 14.2% |
| Asia | Brunei | 14.1% |
| Africa | Seychelles | 14.0% |
| Africa | Djibouti | 13.5% |
| Africa | Mauritania | 12.7% |
| Africa | Sao Tome and Principe | 12.4% |
| Africa | Cape Verde | 11.8% |
| Africa | Cameroon | 11.4% |
| Africa | Ghana | 10.9% |
| Africa | Mauritius | 10.8% |
| Africa | Gambia | 10.3% |
| Africa | Ivory Coast | 10.3% |
| Asia | Thailand | 10.0% |
| Africa | Liberia | 9.9% |
| Africa | Republic of the Congo | 9.6% |
| Africa | Benin | 9.6% |
| Africa | Guinea-Bissau | 9.5% |
| Africa | Nigeria | 8.9% |
| Africa | Senegal | 8.8% |
| Africa | Sierra Leone | 8.7% |
| Asia | Maldives | 8.6% |
| Africa | Mali | 8.6% |
| Africa | Sudan | 8.6% |
| Asia | Pakistan | 8.6% |
| Africa | Togo | 8.4% |
| Africa | Tanzania | 8.4% |
| Africa | Somalia | 8.3% |
| Africa | Angola | 8.2% |
| Africa | Zambia | 8.1% |
| Africa | Equatorial Guinea | 8.0% |
| Africa | Comoros | 7.8% |
| Africa | Guinea | 7.7% |
| Africa | Central African Republic | 7.5% |
| Africa | Mozambique | 7.2% |
| Africa | Kenya | 7.1% |
| Asia | Indonesia | 6.9% |
| Asia | North Korea | 6.8% |
| Africa | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 6.7% |
| Asia | Bhutan | 6.4% |
| Asia | Philippines | 6.4% |
| Asia | China | 6.2% |
| Asia | Singapore | 6.1% |
| Africa | Chad | 6.1% |
| Africa | Rwanda | 5.8% |
| Africa | Malawi | 5.8% |
| Asia | Myanmar | 5.8% |
| Africa | Burkina Faso | 5.6% |
| Africa | Niger | 5.5% |
| Asia | Afghanistan | 5.5% |
| Africa | Burundi | 5.4% |
| Asia | Laos | 5.3% |
| Africa | Madagascar | 5.3% |
| Africa | Uganda | 5.3% |
| Asia | Sri Lanka | 5.2% |
| Africa | Eritrea | 5.0% |
| Asia | South Korea | 4.7% |
| Africa | Ethiopia | 4.5% |
| Asia | Japan | 4.3% |
| Asia | Nepal | 4.1% |
| Asia | Cambodia | 3.9% |
| Asia | India | 3.9% |
| Asia | East Timor | 3.8% |
| Asia | Bangladesh | 3.6% |
| Asia | Vietnam | 2.1% |
| Europe | Vatican City | n/a |
| Europe | Liechtenstein | n/a |
| Europe | Kosovo | n/a |
| Asia | Taiwan | n/a |
| Europe | San Marino | n/a |
| Europe | Monaco | n/a |
| Africa | South Sudan | n/a |
Methodology
Data is for the year 2016 from the World Health Organization. Obesity rate is for adults 18 and over.
It is thought this is because pre-colonisation their diets were low in fat. Now that they have a more western diet their bodies crave and then store fat.
This is only one contributing factor however alongside all the more common ones like poor diet, lack of exercise etc