The Obesity Epidemic

• 2/3 of adults in America are either obese or overweight, with more than 20% of the adult population being overweight or obese in 47 states and Washington DC.
• 25 million children are considered either obese or overweight.

"F as in Fat 2007: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America." Trust for America’s Health. August 2007.

• 58.8% of adults are considered overweight or obese.
• Of children under 18 years of age, 18.1% are overweight and 8.2% are obese.

"The Obesity Epidemic in Canada." Prepared by Sheena Starky. 15 July, 2005.

• Only 42% of the population is considered to be at a normal weight, 33% of women are overweight, and 16% are obese.
• The rate of obesity has increased by 67% since 1990.

North/South Ireland Food Consumption Survey. Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance. 2001.

• The combination of overweight or obese females is 40.9%, with 13.4% being obese and 27.6% being overweight.

OECD Health Data 2007. OECD Health Division. April 19, 2007.

• 65% of men and 56% of women are considered overweight or obese.

"Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity, and Diet: England, 2006." 2006. Published by the Information Centre.

• Obesity reduces life expectancy by an average of nine years, and is the cause of 9,000 early deaths annually.

"Obesity General Information." 10/10/2007. Department of Health.

• 50%-60% of adults are above their recommended weight, and 6 out of 10 Chileans are expected to be overweight or obese by 2010.

"Health-Chile: Obesity, the Heavy Price of Economic Development." 6/22/2005. RedOrbit News.

• 30.2% of the adult population is obese, with 71.3% of women being overweight or obese.

ECD Health Data 2007. OECD Health Division. April 19, 2007.

• It ranks second in the top 20 fattest nations in the world.

Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, Health Data 2007.