Is Australia more obese than the UK

How obese is the UK? and how does it compare to other countries?

Nearly two-thirds of men and women in the UK are obese or overweight, according to new analysis of overweight and obesity data conducted by Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.

The study which looks at data from 1980 to 2013, claims that more people in the UK are either obese or overweight than at any other time in the past three decades. The UK, it says, has the third-highest rate of excess weight in western Europe behind Iceland and Malta.

67% of men and 57% of women in the UK are overweight or obese according to the study which uses a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 25 to define 'overweight' and a BMI of 30 or more to define 'obese'.

Researchers found that overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is also a growing problem in the UK. The study found 26% of boys and 29% of girls were overweight or obese, compared to 17.5% and 21% in 1980.

The analysis of trend data from 188 countries, found that worldwide, the proportion of male adults with a BMI of 25 or more, increased from 29% in 1980 to 37% in 2013 while the proportion of female adults with the BMI stated above, increased from 30% to 38% over the same period.

Researchers also highlighted a substantial increase in the prevalence of excess weight in children and adolescents in developed countries - 24% of boys and 23% of girls worldwide were overweight or obese in 2013.

The table at the end of this article shows adult overweight and obesity rates by country and gender. You can find the full data including the data for rates of overweight and obesity in children and by country in the downloadable spreadsheet.

What is BMI? and why is it used to measure obesity?

BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters (kg/m2). It is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults.

BMI as a measure of obesity has long been a hot topic of debate, with critics arguing that it does not distinguish between fat and muscle and questioning its validity as a useful way to measure whether a person is overweight or not.

Nick Trefethen, professor of numerical analysis at the University of Oxford even proposed a 'new BMI formula' in 2013.

The World Health Organisation provide a handy explanation of why BMI is a popular method to measure excess weight but also why caution should be expressed:

BMI provides the most useful population-level measure of overweight and obesity as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages of adults. However, it should be considered a rough guide because it may not correspond to the same degree of fatness in different individuals.

The National Health Observatory (NHO) name BMI as an "attractive measure because it is an easy, cheap and non-invasive means of assessing excess body fat" while "true measures of body fat are impractical or expensive to use at population level". The NHO do note the draw breaks of it though:

It is only a proxy indicator of body fatness; factors such as fitness (muscle mass), ethnic origin and puberty can alter the relationship between BMI and body fatness. Therefore, BMI may not be an accurate tool for assessing weight status at an individual level, and other ways of measuring body composition may be more useful and accurate.

BMI does not provide any indication of the distribution of body fat and does not fully adjust for the effects of height or body shape, which may be particularly important when comparing figures across ethnic groups.

However it argues that:

The widespread use of BMI and the resulting supporting literature mean that very convincing arguments would be needed to move to routine use of any other index of fatness...research has shown that individuals whose BMI falls into the overweight or obese categories are more likely to experience health problems associated with excess weight.

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Obesity Rates by Country 2024

When a person's weight is higher than what is considered healthy for their height, their condition is described as overweight or obese. Bodyweight results from several factors, such as poor nutritional choices, overeating, genetics, culture, and metabolism. Obesity is linked to many health complications and diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and stroke. Additionally, obesity is the leading preventable cause of preventable death. Despite the negative effects these conditions can have on one's health, more people are overweight or obese today than ever before in history. In fact, obesity is considered a modern epidemic in most parts of the world. Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, with about 13% of adults being obese and about 39% of adults being overweight.

BMI explained

The most commonly used method of measuring obesity is the Body Mass Index, or BMI, which divides a person's weight (in kilograms) by their height (in meters) squared. Medically speaking, BMI scores break down as follows:

• BMI under 18.5 = underweight
• BMI 18.5 to <25 = healthy
• BMI 25 to <30 = overweight
• BMI 30 to <35 = obese (class 1)
• BMI 35 to <40 = obese (class 2)
• BMI 40 or higher = obese (class 3 - morbid)

BMI is not a perfect measure. In particular, it can sometimes give a "false positive" score to athletic individuals, whose high BMIs are due not to excess body fat, but to excess muscle. For example, extremely fit NFL quarterback Russell Wilson measured 5'11" tall and 215 pounds in 2016, which gave him a BMI of 30.0, or obese. NBA superstar and wellness enthusiast Lebron James had a BMI of 27.5 in 2012, which qualified as overweighta clear misdiagnosis. As a result of this inaccuracy, many medical experts are switching to waist-to-height ratio, or WHtR, which compares the circumference of a person's waist to their height. If the waist is more than half the height, (or more than 6/10 the height for those over 50), that person is obese. WHtR is considered much more accurate than BMI, but is also much newer. Over time, as it is adopted by more countries, WHtR could easily replace BMI as the de facto measure of a person's weight health.

Obesity by Country

Obesity rates vary significantly by country as a result of different lifestyles and diets. There is no direct correlation between the obesity rate of a country and its economic status; however, wealthier countries tend to have more resources to implement programs, campaigns, and initiatives to raise awareness and education people about what they are consuming. These are among the healthiest countries globally. Some regions of the world, such as the South Pacific, have seen alarming increases in obesity rates within the past five years. Some governments, such as the United States government, have launched campaigns in recent years to promote healthier lifestyles and being active.

The 10 Most Obese Countries in the World

The most obese country by average BMI is the Cook Islands, which has an average BMI of 32.9. Nauru follows with 32.5, then Niue with 32.4. Samoa and Tonga both have average BMIs of 32.2. Finishing the top ten most obese countries are Tuvalu (30.8), Kiribati (30.1), Saint Lucia (30.0), Micornesia (29.7), and Egypt (29.6). What eight of these countries have in common is being located in the South Pacific. When looking at the percentage of obese adults, the list looks a little different. The most obese country by percentage of obese adults is Nauru, with 61% of adults falling in the obese category. Cook Islands fllows with 55.9%, and Palau just under that at 55.3%. Three other countries have adult populations that are over 50% obese: the Marshall Islands (52.9%), Tuvalu (51.6%), and Niue (50%). Finishing the list are Tonga (48.2%), Samoa (47.3%), Kiribati (46.0%), Micronesia (45.8%). The Pacific island nations appear prominently, with Saint Lucia and Egypt serving as the only non-Oceania countries on either list. Type 2-diabetes is a large concern among the people of many of these countries. Multiple theories exist as to why this particular region is so susceptible to obesity, including the growth of unhealthy fast food, the rise of frying as a means of food preparation, and a possible genetic predisposition toward higher BMIs.

The United States has the 12th highest obesity rate in the world at 36.2%. Obesity rates vary significantly between states](/state-rankings/obesity-rate-by-state), ranging from 23% to 38.10%. This is due to the same dietary, environmental, and cultural factors that cause variations between countries. Diet is primarily to blame, with Americans receiving mixed messages about what they should be eating and how much of it. Faced with mouth-watering advertisements served alongside campaigns promoting daily physical activity and proper nutrition, many Americans opt for fast, cheap, and filling options such as processed packaged food, fast food, and larger portions. This often leads to a diet rich in fat, calories, and sodium (the "butter, sugar, salt" trifecta) and low in vitamins and nutrients.

Top 10 Least Obese Countries in the World

When looking at average BMI, three countries tie for the least obese country in the world, with an average BMI of 21.1: Madagascar, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. Five other countries have average BMIs under 22: Timor-Leste (21.3), Burundi (21.6), Japan (21.8), China (21.9) and India (21.9). Bangladesh (22.0) and Burkina Faso (22.1) finish the list. Japan's presence here is perhaps unsurprising given that the national dietwhich emphasizes seafood, freshness, modest portions, and minimal added sugar or dairy fatis a very healthy approach (as evidenced by the fact that Japanese life expectancy is among the highest on Earth). However, many of the other countries on this list struggle with famine and povertywhich is the wrong way to achieve a low BMI.

Are Australians eating better or worse than before?

Are Australians eating better or worse than before?

The report suggests that 82 per cent of Australians have changed their eating habits in the past five years, with 86 per cent trying to be more health-conscious regarding their diet. Over one in two Australians claim to be eating healthier than they were five years ago.

Are Australians eating better or worse than they did in the past?

New research from the CSIRO has revealed Aussies' diets are worse than first thought, scoring only 59 out of 100 in the largest ever survey of its kind. The 2016 CSIRO Healthy Diet Score looked at the eating habits of more than 86,500 adults across the country over 12 months.

Are we eating better now than in the past?

Although our grandparents may have eaten more home-cooked meals and fresh home-grown vegetables, a Food Standards Agency report actually found that we eat more fruit, 'exotic' vegetables, chicken and turkey now than we did 50 years ago, as well as more lower fat dairy products, all of which are much better for our ...

Are Australians are getting healthier or less healthy?

"By and large, Australians are getting healthier by the year thanks to greater awareness, advances in technology, and better living standards," says Adrian. "However, lifestyle diseases are still a big factor in chronic disease and fatalities, especially obesity.

Are Australians becoming more healthy?

The report found Australians are living longer life expectancy at birth was 83.0 years in 2020, the sixth highest among the 38 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries.

Are people happier in UK or Australia?

Australia scored highly in the United Nations' 2022 World Happiness Report, ranking as the 12th happiest country out of 156 countries ahead of Canada (15th), the United States (16th) and the United Kingdom (17th).

Is it a better life in Australia than in UK?

While the cost of living in Australia is generally higher than in the UK, it offers a high quality of life and a great lifestyle. Ultimately, the decision to move to either country depends on personal preferences and circumstances.

Is healthcare better in UK or Australia?

Australia. In July 2017, the NHS was ranked the world's number one healthcare system in a survey carried out by the Commonwealth Fund, with Australia coming in at a very respectable second place.

Is obesity getting worse in Australia?

In 2017-18, two thirds (67.0%) of Australian adults were overweight or obese (12.5 million people), an increase from 63.4% in 2014-15. There was a large increase for those aged 18-24 years, with 38.9% overweight or obese in 2014-15 compared with 46.0% in 2017-18.

Does Australia have better healthcare than UK?

Australia and UK have the second and the first rankings, respectively, in a review of healthcare systems¹⁷ conducted by the Commonwealth Fund.

Are adults healthier now or were they healthier 100 years ago?

Compared to a century ago, older people today are much more likely to die from a chronic disease than an infectious disease. So on the life expectancy metric, we're healthier than our grandparents were.

Do you live longer if you eat healthy?

Participants who improved the health of their diet by 25% could reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by a range of 6% to 13% and dying from cancer by 7% to 18%, he said. There was up to a 7% reduction in risk of death by neurodegenerative disease, such as dementia.

Are we healthier today or were we healthier 100 years ago?

In the past 100 years, the average lifespan has increased by about 25 years. At the same time, we've increased the burden of disease. We're living longer, but not healthier. Most chronic diseases and cancers occur in the later part of life, in the 25 years of life we've gained thanks to modern medicine.

How has Australian food consumption changed over time?

Trends in Australia's food market between 1988-89 and 2016-17: indicative food production increased from $65 billion to $117 billion, an average increase of 2.1 per cent a year; household food consumption expenditure increased from $49 billion to $92 billion, an average increase of 2.3 per cent a year; and net food ...

Why are Australians so healthy?

"The Aussie climate definitely drives a more active lifestyle simply because we tend to spend more time outdoors. We also have access to beautiful fresh produce all year round, which means it's easier to make better food choices and nourish our bodies in the right way."

Why do Australians eat so early?

As a rule of thumb, the north of Europe (where it is colder) tends to dine earlier and the lower you travel, the later you eat. Australians eat their meals earlier than usual, especially in the recent years so as to spen more time with family after dinner, as per reports.

Is Australia more obese than the UK?

Australia is ranked fifth for obesity, with wider waistlines than countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland, but slimmer than Hungary, New Zealand, Mexico and the United States, which has an obesity rate of 38.2 per cent.

Why is obesity so high in Australia?

The rise in obesity has been attributed to poor eating habits in the country closely related to the availability of fast food since the 1970s, sedentary lifestyles and a decrease in the labour workforce.

Are Australians slim?

More than two-thirds of Australian adults are classed as overweight or obese and that figure is projected to increase in coming years.

Are salaries better in UK or Australia?

The average gross salary in Australia is around AU$90,000. Converting to approximately 48,000, the average salary in Australia currently sits 37% higher than the UK average.

What is NHS equivalent in Australia?

Established in 1984, Medicare is Australia's universal health care scheme. It's available to: Australian and New Zealand citizens. Any permanent residents in Australia.

Which country is best for doctors UK or Australia?

British doctors earn an average of 70,000. But in Australia, they earn an average of a practice's income, which is normally on average somewhere between 150,000-200,000 per year. And they do it with much less mental stress and fatigue.

Why are Brits moving to Australia?

Australia is one of the most popular destinations for British expats. Perhaps it's the climate, the common language, or the promise of barbecues at Christmas.

Is Britain richer than Australia?

Australia's GDP, which is roughly $1 trillion, is smaller than that of the United Kingdom. On the contrary, the UK's GDP is $2.4 trillion, yet Australia's low GDP fits well with its 24 million people, whereas the UK's 65 million people are spread thin.

Why is Australia so much like the UK?

Due to Australia's history as a colony of Britain, the two nations retain significant shared threads of cultural heritage, many of which are common to all English-speaking countries. English is the de facto language of both nations. Both legal systems are based on the common law.