20 Most Obese Countries in the World

Here's a glimpse of the 20 most obese countries, based on data compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO), current through the year 2022.

But what does "obese" actually mean? Well, the current standard refers to people who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30.

This information is all well and good if you know how to measure BMI, but what if you don't? Luckily, calculating body mass index is pretty straightforward.

Take the weight of the individual and divide it by the square of their height. Both of these measurements, it should be noted, are in the metric system, so it's kilograms divided by meters squared.

If a person's weight is 160 lbs (72.6 kg) and their height is 6 feet (1.8 meters), you would calculate their body mass index as follows:

This puts that person into what's considered the range of a healthy BMI (18.5-25).

However, if that same person's weight was 230 lbs (104.3kg), they would have a BMI of 32.2, making them technically obese.

Obesity has long been considered a health risk. Modern medicine and epidemiology have found close correlations between excess body fat and a range of health problems, from cardiovascular disease to cancers to various chronic diseases. In particular, obesity has been recognized as a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Putting on too much weight can cause all kinds of problems. It can force a person's heart to work harder, leading to chronic high blood pressure and heart disease. It can also lead to excess wear and tear on the bones and muscles. Obesity has even been implicated in mental health problems such as depression.

At a social level, the rise of obesity has serious costs that go far beyond the financial. Luckily, there are various interventions in the different countries where the obesity rate is exceptionally high.

Public health campaigns help raise awareness about the risks of unhealthy foods (high-fat, high-sugar, highly processed foods) and sedentary lifestyles.

Better nutrition, dieting and regular physical activity are promoted as interventions that don't involve drugs or surgery, although those options are also utilized in some cases.

Often, the major uptick of obesity worldwide is seen as having really taken off in the years after 1975. Indeed, most estimates place the current rate at around three times higher since that year. The reasons aren't fully understood, but it's likely a combination of factors.

In many places, such as the Pacific Island nations that cluster near the top of the list, a combination of changing lifestyle, diet and genetic predisposition are often listed. As people move from traditional meals to cheap, processed food — combined with sedentary lifestyles — they are more likely to put on excess weight.

But the problem remains stubborn. Obesity is a problem in low-, high- and middle-income countries, among women and men, and in almost every age group, not just adult populations.

Some researchers are also studying whether increased pollution (especially chemicals that could disrupt the body's endocrine system) could be a major factor.

It's also important to note that BMI is not an ideal way of determining the relationship between body weight and health. For instance, lots of athletes have a BMI that makes them overweight or even obese, because of the extra muscle mass they carry.

What's more, the precise role of obesity in various diseases remains a subject of debate. Increasingly, public health experts and scientists are questioning whether body mass index is the most useful measure to determine who is most at risk because of the size and shape of their body.

Other measurements, such as the waist to height ratio (WHtR), which compares height to waist circumference, rather than weight, are being shown increased favor.

Here are the most obese countries, as measured by the percentage of the population that qualifies as obese. The data we've used come from the World Health Organization (WHO), which keeps track of all kinds of health related information. It's current to the year 2022.

1. Tonga (71.7%)

This South Pacific island nation has a considerable obesity rate, with nearly three quarters of the population of 106,858 considered obese.

2. Nauru (69.6%)

Nauru, population 12,668, has the second-highest rate of obesity. The tiny island nation is located in the South Pacific.

3. Cook Islands (68.9%)

With a population of 14,723, the Cook Islands, located in the South Pacific, have the third-highest obesity rate.

4. Niue (66.6%)

The tiny island of Niue, in the South of the Pacific Ocean, with a population of 1,681, comes in at the No. 4 spot on this list, with roughly two-thirds of the population considered obese by WHO standards.

5. Tuvalu (64.2%)

Tuvalu, which is yet another tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, has a population of 11,312. Its obesity rate puts it at No. 5 on this list.

6. Samoa (62.4%)

With a population of 222,382, Samoa is an island with the highest population we've encountered so far on this list.

7. Bahamas (47.3%)

At the No. 7 spot, we're now on the other side of a somewhat conspicuous gap in obesity rates. Previously in the range of 60 percent, the Bahamas, an island of 409,984 people located in the Caribbean, has a rate in the high 40s.

8. Micronesia (47.1%)

Back in the Pacific — although farther north than previous entries, it's still in the tropics — Micronesia, population 114,164, has an obesity rate that puts it in the No. 8 spot.

9. Kiribati (46.3%)

Not far from Micronesia is Kiribati, another island nation. It has a population of 131,232, and an obesity rate rate of just over 46 percent.

10. Marshall Islands (45.9%)

Located between Hawaii and the Philippines, the archipelago known as the Marshall Islands has a population of 41,569, and it rounds out the top ten countries for obesity rate.

11. Saint Kitts & Nevis (45.6%)

A dual-island nation (as opposed to some of the single-island nations that have appeared on this list so far), St. Kitts & Nevis has a population of 47,657.

12. Egypt (44.3%)

With a population of 111 million, Egypt is a far more populous country than any that have yet appeared. The heavy reliance on staples such as refined flour and sugar are likely causes for Egypt's growing obesity rate.

13. Qatar (43.1%)

Located on the Persian Gulf, Qatar has a population of 2.7 million. Recent years have seen an uptick in the number of obese adults, and it now stands as one of the most obese countries worldwide.

14. Belize (42.3%)

On the southeastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula is Belize. With a population of 405,272, it has a notably high obesity rate.

15. United States (42%)

Long known as a country with a high obesity rate, the United States' numbers remain high, although not as high as you might have assumed. With a population of 333.3 million, it is the most populous nation we've seen yet on this list.

16. Kuwait (41.4%)

4.27 million people live in Kuwait, another Gulf state. It is just behind the United States in its obesity rate.

17. Palau (41.1%)

The nation of Palau has a population of 18,055. Another island nation in the Micronesia region of the Pacific Ocean, Palau comes in at No. 17 for obesity rates.

18. Saudi Arabia (40.6%)

Officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this large country in the Middle East has a population of 36.41 million. It lands at No. 18 with an obesity rate that's just over 40 percent.

19. Iraq (40.5%)

Almost tied with Saudi Arabia is Iraq. With a population of 44.5 million, it's a populous country with a growing obesity problem.

20. Chile (38.9%)

At the bottom of our list of 20 is Chile, a country in South America. With a population of 19.6 million, it has an obesity rate just below 40 percent.

Not every population has a problem with obesity. Vietnam is currently in the last spot on the list, with an obesity rate of 2.02 percent. As a country with a robust public health infrastructure, Vietnam, along with countries like Japan (5.54 percent), could have valuable lessons for other countries around the world.