Thinspiration: world's least obese nations

(SURABKY)

On September 23, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released their report Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat, ranking the fattest and fittest nations.

While it is no surprise the US remains the home of the most overweight and obese adults, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Canada are not falling far behind with all having populations exceeding 60 percent overweight.

Look to Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia and China for thinner adults (1-4 percent obese). Nonetheless obesity is rapidly becoming a global epdidemic.

When it comes to children (11 years old) Indonesia, Slovak Republic, Turkey and India have 10 percent or less overweight and obese whereas the US, Scotland, Spain and Italy have a growing epidemic of overweight children (33-35 percent).

The Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Ala Alwan said the OECD report offers a "positive message ...that the obesity epidemic can be successfully addressed by comprehensive strategies involving multiple interventions directed at individuals and populations."

According to the WHO "by 2015, approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight, more than 700 million will be obese and 20 million children under the age of 5 years are overweight globally in 2005."

The WHO explains how you can cut your portion of the world's fat:
- achieve energy balance and a healthy weight
- limit energy intake from total fats and shift fat consumption away from saturated fats to unsaturated fats
- increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts
- limit the intake of sugars
- increase physical activity (at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days. More activity may be required for weight control)

To learn more about Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat, and see where your nation ranks, go to: http://www.oecd.org/health/fitnotfat