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Two countries from Latin America, Mexico and Chile topped the ranking of members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with the highest percentage of adults with obesity or overweight, in first and second place, respectively. Another nation from the American continent, the United States, completes the podium with ** percent of its population affected by this health problem.

Unstoppable Progress

Obesity continues to be one of the most urgent health problems and increasingly affects not only wealthy countries but also those with lower incomes. In 2020, there were already more than *** billion people worldwide who were overweight, and this number could increase by more than ** percent by 2035. A similar pattern is seen in obesity figures, which could double during the same period. In relative terms, this means that nearly half of the global population would be overweight and almost one-fifth obese by 2035.

South Pacific: the Most Affected Region

Genetics, income level, diet, and lifestyle are key factors in the development of these conditions. For example, several islands in the South Pacific have the highest percentages of childhood and adult obesity, due to their tendency toward sedentary behavior and the craze for fast food consumption since it entered the region.