Analyzing the Fat of the Land

While the United States leads the obesity pack, other countries are keeping pace.

Following in the footsteps of last week’s Quiet Mike article by Jane Srygley, I have compiled a list of the most obese countries in the developed world.

There are numerous reasons why the United States finds itself at the top of the list and there are many places you can focus the blame. You could find culpability in the American Federal Government, you could blame the corporate restaurant industry, advertisers and of course, individuals themselves.

The government subsidizes corn which is used to make high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), one of the main ingredients in all forms of junk food. Since 1995, the US government has subsidized corn farmers to the tune of around $100 billion.

The subsidizing of HFCS causes junk food prices to stay extremely low compared to the more healthy variety of farmed foods, healthy vegetable farmers receive a fraction of what the corn industry does. It is the main reason why poor people are more likely to be obese; they simply can’t afford to eat healthy.

The fast-food industry along with their advertisers doesn’t help matters much. They target the poor, the middle class and children with advertisements containing healthy, often skinny models or actors who look like they’ve never eaten a hamburger without puking it up afterwards. Don’t get me started on how they market to children.

Of course, some people, conservatives and libertarians in particular will fault the fatties themselves. They aren’t completely wrong in doing so, but it’s still very disingenuous. If you’re a member of a poor family and you are on some form of government assistance in any of these countries I listed, chances are you can’t afford to eat healthy even if your life depends on it.

Still, there are those out there who can afford to change their diet, but refuse to. Whether it’s some form of addiction, a lack of nutritional education or perhaps just pure laziness.

These Obesity rate statistics all come from 2005, but rest assured, they have all risen across the globe.

1. United States: 30.6%
2. Mexico: 24.2%
3. United Kingdom 23%
4. Slovakia: 22.4%
5. Greece: 21.9%
6. Australia: 21.7%
7. New Zealand: 20.9%
8. Hungary: 18.8%
9. Luxembourg: 18.4%
10. Czech Republic: 14.8%
11. Canada: 14.3%
12. Spain: 13.1%
13. Ireland: 13%
14. Germany: 12.9%
15. Portugal: 12.8%
16. Finland: 12.8%
17. Iceland: 12.4%
18. Turkey: 12%
19. Belgium: 11.7%
20. Netherlands: 10%
21. Sweden: 9.7%
22. Denmark: 9.5%
23. France: 9.4%
24. Austria: 9.1%
25. Italy: 8.5%
26. Norway: 8.3%
27. Switzerland: 7.7%
28. South Korea: 3.2%
28. Japan: 3.2%