What is the obesity rate in China

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 18, 2024

Contributions sourced from

List of countries by obesity rate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (October 2023)

This is a list of countries ranked by the proportion of the population that is obese. The data, barring the United States, is derived from The World Factbook authored by the Central Intelligence Agency,^[1] which gives the adult prevalence rate for obesity, defined as "the percent of a country's population considered to be obese". Data for U.S. obesity prevalence is derived from CDC data, recorded through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in March 2017 2020.^[2]

Related[edit]

References[edit]

China

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1993: Solon FS. Nutrition related chronic diseases in the Philippines. Makati city, Philippines: Nutrition Center of the Philippines Report Series, vol 2, No.1, cited in Reference 53

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1998: Data provided by the Philippean Depatment of Health, Dr C. Barbu, data reanalysed by Dr Charmaine Duante.

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2002: Report of the 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey. 2004. (In Chinese). Chinese Ministry of Public Health (CMPH).

2003:

http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/files/fnri%20files/nns/factsandfigures2003/anthropometric.pdf

(last accessed June 14th 2011)

2004: Tonga STEPS Survey 2004

2005, 2013: Chang HC, Yang HC, Chang HY, et al. Morbid obesity in Taiwan: Prevalence, trends, associated social demographics, and lifestyle factors. PLoS One. 2017;12(2):e0169577. Published 2017 Feb 2. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0169577

2006: Gerritsen S, Stefanogiannis N, Galloway Y, Devlin M, Templaton R and Yeh L. A portrait of health: key results of the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey.

2007: Mohamud WN, Musa KI, Khir AS, Ismail AA, Ismail IS, Kadir KA, Kamaruddin NA, Yaacob NA, Mustafa N, Ali O, Isa SH, Bebakar WM.Prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult Malaysians: an update. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(1):35-41.

2009: Yan, S., Li, J., Li, S., Zhang, B., Du, S., Gordon-Larsen, P., Adair, L. and Popkin, B. (2012), The expanding burden of cardiometabolic risk in China: the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Obesity Reviews. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2012.01016.x

2011, 2012: New Zealand Health Survey.

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(last accessed 14.07.20)

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(last accessed 16.12.2015)

2015: 2015 Philippine Anthropometric Survey.

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2016: Ministry of Health. 2018. Annual Data Explorer 2017/18: New Zealand Health Survey [Data File]. URL:

https://minhealthnz.shinyapps.io/nz-health-survey-2017-18-annual-data-explorer/

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2017: Tonga STEPS Survey 2017

https://extranet.who.int/ncdsmicrodata/index.php/catalog/713

(Last accessed 13.10.20)

2018: New Zealand Health Survey 2018-19. New Zealand Ministry of Health (

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!/key-indicators accessed 14.11.19)

2019: Institute for Public Health (IPH), National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia. 2020. National Health and MorbiditySurvey (NHMS) 2019: Vol. I: NCDs Non-Communicable Diseases: Risk Factors and other Health Problems

2020: Annual Update of New Zealand Health Survey 2020/2021 available at

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Accessed 08.11.21.

2022: Australian National Health Survey 2022-2023.

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(Accessed 03.01.2024)

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.

Obesity in China

Overview of obesity in the People's Republic of China

Obesity in China is a major health concern according to the WHO, with overall rates of obesity between 5% and 6% for the country,^[2] but greater than 20% in some cities where fast food is popular.^[3]

Since 1954, rapid economic growth has transformed China from a destitute nation to one of largest economies in the world. Malnutrition, previously a persistent problem, has declined from 30% of the population in 1980 to less than 12% in 2014. However, these rapid improvements in living standards have come with rising rates of obesity that threaten to reverse some of the gains in overall health.

These changes are especially pronounced in Chinese cities, where increase caloric intake has combined with increased automation and transport that has reduced daily physical labor for the average citizen. Rapid motorization has drastically reduced levels of cycling and walking in China. Reports in 2002 and 2012 have revealed a direct correlation between ownership of motorized transport by households in China and increasing obesity related problems in children and adults.^[4]^[5]

Growth in obesity in children has been especially brisk. Between 1985 and 2014, obesity in rural Chinese boys grew from 0.03% to 17.2%, and the obesity rate for girls went from 0.12% to 9.1%.^[6] Statistics from the Chinese Health Ministry have revealed that urban Chinese boys age 6 are 2.5 inches taller and 6.6 pounds heavier on average than Chinese city boys 30 years ago. A leading child-health researcher, Ji Chengye, has stated that, "China has entered the era of obesity. The speed of growth is shocking."^[1]

Response and prospects[edit]

According to Wang Longde, Chinese Vice Minister of Health, the problem is that the population does not have enough awareness and lacks knowledge of nutrition and what constitutes a reasonable diet.^[7] The government is attempting to reduce the problem with building more playgrounds and passing a law which requires students to exercise or play sports for an hour a day at school.^[1] Chen Chunming, an expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has warned against the rapid growth of American fast-food outlets in China saying, "Don't take children to eat fast food like McDonald's and KFC."^[1]

De-emphasis on sports also plays an important part in the rise of obesity in China. Many Chinese people believe the way they advance in life is getting a better education so they can get a better job. The emphasis on schoolwork and the pressure to do so much into that direction keeps children away from play and from physical activity.^[8]

Fat farms, where overweight children try to lose their excess weight, have grown since the 1990s. In 2000, 100 million people were reported to suffer from high blood pressure and 26 million with diabetes. These figures were expected to double within a decade, with doctors warning that obesity could become China's biggest health threat for future generations.^[9]^[10]

Action and policy[edit]

Due to the current cultural views on obesity there is a significant need for anti-obesity education. Obesity is often associated with prosperity, thus there is a need for a widespread attitude shift to decrease the current rising rates. Perhaps resulting from the famines of generations past, food, specifically high-fat foods, are now seen as a luxurious item. With growing incomes in Chinese society, families are now able to afford these unhealthy but highly desired foods resulting in increasing rates of consumption of high-fat diets.^[11] As a major contributor to the spread of obesity, these high-fat diets are creating a major public health problem across the country. There are currently a few initiatives in place that could help combat this problem, but because of its magnitude, it is likely that more improvements are needed.

The Chinese Nutrition Society is providing nutrition education by creating dietary guidelines to help consumers make more healthy lifestyle choices. These guidelines become useful in assisting the population in adopting healthy eating habits which can be an important preventative measure against obesity. Additionally, the Chinese government is currently mandating programs in schools to deal with the growing problem of obesity in the younger generations. "Eat Smart at School" is a campaign that was launched during the 20062007 school year, which aims to cultivate healthy eating practices to promote lifestyle changes in the educational setting. This program is also an important key in teaching healthy lifestyle strategies that can promote long-term changes in these children's lives.^[12]

Localizing community based interventions could help address the large, diverse population in China. China is currently trying to utilize community based interventions through The National Plan of Action for Nutrition in China. This demonstrates an extensive framework organizing food-based policies relating to the country's nutrition and health issues. Some of the policies work towards promoting healthy diets and lifestyles while also providing incentives to food growers. Implementing nationwide social programs on public nutrition through mass media, public campaigns and community based promotions are potentially effective mediums towards combating obesity in China.

China's centralized government has a unique ability to make rapid policy changes where they can enforce public nutrition policy and regulate food supply. The rapid growing market of fast food chains is a huge contributor to the increase in obesity rates in China. Potentially, a price policy could be a strategic model for raising the price on unhealthy foods in an attempt to shift food consumption patterns to accomplish health objectives and reduce the consumption of high fat foods. Through price policy, China can focus on controlling the external influence of international products on traditional Chinese dietary patterns and help manage the obesity trends and patterns due to the increase of Westernized foods and fast food chains.^{[citation needed]}^{[clarification needed]}

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d MacLeod, Calum (1 August 2007). "Obesity of China's kids stuns officials". USA Today. Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
^ "One third of global population overweight or obese according to new study". Archived from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
^ "www.who.int" (PDF). WHO. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
^ Bell A.C., Ge K., Popkin B.M., The road to obesity or the path to prevention: motorized transportation and obesity in China. Obesity Research 2002: 10: 277-83.
^ Motorized transportation, social status, and adiposity: the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Qin L, Stolk RP, Corpeleijn E.Am J Prev Med. 2012 Jul;43(1):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2012.03.022
^ "Explosion in childhood obesity in China 'worst ever', expert says of new study findings". South China Morning Post. 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
^ "Chinese concern at obesity surge". BBC. 12 October 2004. Archived from the original on 27 August 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
^ Patterson, Sky. "Obesity in China: Waistlines are Expanding Twice as Fast as GDP". US-China Today. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
^ Hewitt, Duncan (23 May 2000). "China battles obesity". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 May 2004. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
^ Wu, Yangfeng,Department of Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Institute and Fu Wai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, #167, Beilishilu, Xicheng, Beijing 100037, People's Republic of China
^ Fuzhi Cheng (2007). "Nutrition Transition". Food Policy for Developing Countries: Case Studies. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^ "[email protected]". school.eatsmart.gov.hk. Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019.