By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Obesity and its Growing Prevalence Globally
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Obesity and its Growing Prevalence Globally
Public Health

Obesity and its Growing Prevalence Globally

PatrickDriscoll
PatrickDriscoll
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Overweight and obesity were once considered a problem only in high-income countries. This is no longer the case: overweight and obesity are dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in cities. The WHO’s latest projections indicate that globally in 2005 about 1.6 billion adults (age 15+) were overweight, and at least 400 million adults were obese. WHO further projects that by 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese.

Population weight gain is increasing despite the best efforts of health authorities to teach healthy eating habits, or the easy availability of commercial weight-loss and low-fat food products. This suggests that an analysis of obesity requires more than an understanding of individual dietary patterns; it must also take into consideration the likelihood that while society may discourage fatness discursively, it might also encourage it in practice.

Below is illustrated the global picture of obesity, with rates and prevalence of obesity by country.

Populations and Rates of Obesity of Selected Countries, 2009

More Read

medical marijuana
New Research on Health Benefits of Marijuana Use
Post or Perish? Disseminating Scientific Research and the Kardashian Index
Giving Smokers a Pass on Health Premiums
Patient Engagement: Blockbuster Drug Or Snake Oil?
Selling Insurance Across State Lines
Obesity Rates by Country Population (2009, millions) Estimated No. of Obese (millions)
India 9% 1,155.30 104
USA 28% 307 86
China 5% 1,331.50 66.6
Mexico 30% 107.4 32.2
Belgium 14.80% 10.8 1.6
UK 24.50% 61.8 15.2
Turkey 15% 74.8 11.2
Germany 13.60% 81.9 11.1
Canada 24% 33.7 8.1
France 11.20% 62.6 7
Spain 14.90% 46 6.8
Italy 9.90% 60.2 6
Australia 25% 21.9 5.5
Poland 12.50% 38.1 4.8
Japan 3% 127.6 3.8
Chile 22% 17 3.7
Greece 18.10% 11.3 2
Hungary 19.70% 10 2
South Korea 4% 48.7 1.9
Netherlands 11.10% 16.5 1.8
Czech Republic 17.10% 10 1.7
Portugal 15.40% 10.6 1.6
New Zealand 27% 4.3 1.2
Israel 14% 7.4 1
Austria 12.40% 8.4 1
Ireland 23.00% 4.5 1
Sweden 10.20% 9.3 0.9
Slovak Republic 16.90% 5.4 0.9
Finland 15.70% 5.3 0.8
Switzerland 8.10% 7.7 0.6
Denmark 11.40% 5.3 0.6
Norway 10% 4.8 0.5
Slovenia 16.90% 2 0.3
Luxembourg 20.10% 0.5 0.1
Iceland 20% 0.3 0.1
Total 3,710.30 407.8
World Population 6,775.20 6,775.20
% of World Population 55% 6%

Source: OECD; Population Estimates; MedMarket Diligence, LLC


See also Report #S835, “Products, Technologies and Markets Worldwide for the Clinical Management of Obesity, 2011-2019.”

TAGGED:global health
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By PatrickDriscoll
Follow:
I serve the interests of medical technology company decision-makers, venture-capitalists, and others with interests in medtech producing worldwide analyses of medical technology markets for my audience of mostly medical technology companies (but also rapidly growing audience of biotech, VC, and other healthcare decision-makers). I have a small staff and go to my industry insiders (or find new ones as needed) to produce detailed, reality-grounded analyses of current and potential markets and opportunities. I am principally interested in those core clinical applications served by medical devices, which are expanding to include biomaterials, drug-device hybrids and other non-device technologies either competing head-on with devices or being integrated with devices in product development. The effort and pain of making every analysis global in scope is rewarded by my audience's loyalty, since in the vast majority of cases they too have global scope in their businesses. Specialties: Business analysis through syndicated reports, and select custom engagements, on medical technology applications and markets in general/abdominal/thoracic surgery, interventional cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, patient monitoring/management, wound management, cell therapy, tissue engineering, gene therapy, nanotechnology, and others.

Stay Connected

1.5KFollowersLike
4.5KFollowersFollow
2.8KFollowersPin
136KSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

nurse leaders
Shaping Tomorrow’s Healthcare: The Role of Nurse Leaders
Nursing
March 10, 2026
Nursing shortage
Does Educational Rigor Negatively Impact the Talent Pool for Nursing?
Career Nursing
March 9, 2026
How Bottleless Office Water Coolers Support Corporate Sustainability Goals
eHealth Fitness Health lifestyle
March 9, 2026
public health housing
Structural Integrity in Homes and Its Impact on Public Health
Public Health
March 5, 2026

You Might also Like

NewsPublic Health

Anti-Osteoporosis Therapy Is Gaining In Popularity—Here’s Why

December 18, 2018
Health carePolicy & LawPublic Health

Why We Have So Few Clinical Cannabis Studies, and Why We Need More

February 14, 2018

Reframing Gun Control as a Public Health Issue

January 12, 2013

Online Communities & Attrition from Health Intervention Programs

June 8, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?