America takes the cake as the most obese country, but more than 2 billion people are overweight or obese around the world. (iStockPhoto)
America's waistline continues to expand, according to a study published today in The Lancet. The obesity epidemic remains the biggest public health issue facing the country, and despite awareness of the need to get in shape, more than a third of the country is now obese.
But it's not just America – much of the developed world has seen similar increases, according to the study. India and China together make up 15 percent of the world’s obese population, and in Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico, the obesity rate is upward of 57 percent for men and 65 percent for women. Worldwide, the number of overweight and obese people increased from 857 million in 1980 to 2.1 billion in 2013 – an increase of more than 145 percent.
More than half of the 671 million obese people in the world live in 10 countries, and America tops the list.
Top 10 Most Obese Countries:
1. United States
2. China
3. India
4. Russia
5. Brazil
6. Mexico
7. Egypt
8. Germany
9. Pakistan
10. Indonesia
Just how bad has it gotten in the U.S.? Check out the infographic below.
Amir Khan is a Health + Wellness reporter at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at akhan@usnews.com.
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