From the Chosun:
According to PopNews, a study on body mass index (BMI) released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2005 shows that only 3.2 percent of Koreans and Japanese have a BMI higher than 30.
A person with a BMI figure higher than 25 is considered overweight, while a reading above 30 means obesity.
The U.S. is the fattest of the OECD member nations with 30.6 percent of its population having a BMI higher than 30. It is followed by Mexico, Britain and Slovakia.
Towards the bottom of the list are Italy where 8.5 percent of the population is obese, Norway with 8.3 percent and Switzerland with 7.7 percent.
It will be interesting to see if Korea will be able to maintain this status because the younger generation of kids in Korea are definitely getting heavier, however they have a long ways to go to catch us Americans.Â
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8:33 am on April 4th, 2007 1
I’m surprised that some third-world countries didn’t take first in that, like some in the Horn of Africa, or even places like Burma (I saw a lot of very skinny folks there in 1998).
I’m sure your right about the trend changing in Korea. Chinese, too.
9:11 am on April 4th, 2007 2
I read somewhere that any developing countries that has “Fat Camp” for overweight children would be considered developed country. I believe ROK and PRC will be catching up with US. Too much Krespy Kreme and McDonalds will make the mcatch up.
9:21 am on April 4th, 2007 3
It was an OECD poll so I’m willing to bet non-OECD nations were probably not counted in the poll thus giving the top spot to Korea and Japan.
As far as fat camps I haven’t heard of one in the ROK yet but I’m sure some enterprising adashi is out there ready to make one if the demand is there. Just what Korea needs another hagwon.
9:39 am on April 4th, 2007 4
OECD - ah, that explains it. I wasn’t pay attention.
10:25 pm on April 4th, 2007 5
We are the fattest OECD nation, but we’re not the world’s heaviest. That honor belongs to Saudi Arabia. We’re number three behind Panama.
6:16 am on April 5th, 2007 6
I have only met a few Saudis before and they usually had a little pot belly, but the fact they are the most obese nation isn’t surprising when I think about it because they are the laziest people I have ever met and they probably have some really overweight people but you can’t really tell by looking at video and pictures of Saudis because of the white robes they wear.
1:14 pm on January 21st, 2008 7
1:11 am on March 1st, 2008 8
I do wish people would stop calling people the “heaviest”, “largest” “obese”. The correct term is “the greediest people in the world”
2:27 pm on March 1st, 2008 9
“I do wish people would stop calling people the “heaviest”, “largest” “obese”.”
I agree, why sugarcoat it “big bones” and “thyroid condition”. They are fatty, or lardy.
To many fat white women in America. But I agree with Sonagi those women are greedy. Never met a buffet they didn’t like. All those diet cokes should go to Africa to feed the starving.
3:00 pm on March 1st, 2008 10
Sorry not Sonagi, but Sonia.
7:05 pm on October 19th, 2008 11