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Countries with the Highest Obesity Rate

Can you name the countries of the world where the highest % of adults have a Body Mass Index of 30 or greater?
2022 WHO estimates. Complete list here.
Countries with a population less than a million are marked in gold
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Featured Quiz
Last updated: December 16, 2024
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First submittedApril 5, 2010
Times taken180,086
Average score45.0%
Rating4.43
Quiz and answer stats >>
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Scoring
You scored / = %
This beats or equals % of test takers also scored 100%
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Keep scrolling down for answers and more stats ...
%
Country
71.7
Tonga
69.9
Nauru
64.2
Tuvalu
62.4
Samoa
47.3
Bahamas
47.1
F. S. Micronesia
46.3
Kiribati
%
Country
45.9
Marshall Islands
45.6
Saint Kitts and Nevis
44.3
Egypt
43.1
Qatar
42.3
Belize
42.0
United States
41.4
Kuwait
%
Country
41.1
Palau
40.6
Saudi Arabia
40.5
Iraq
38.9
Chile
38.5
Jordan
38.0
Barbados
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102 Recent Comments
Jet314
+9
Level 49
Mar 2, 2018
Where the heck is Hungary!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!
roleybob
+36
Level 74
Dec 4, 2018
Just South of Slovakia
kalbahamut
+21
Level 81
Sep 16, 2019
Would make more sense for them to show up on the skinny countries quiz. Until they change their name to Stuffed.
Jacktheguy
+9
Level 92
Feb 24, 2022
They're eating Turkey.
Soph1
+9
Level 50
Mar 2, 2018
That was hard. Expected UK to be there.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Mar 6, 2018
I think they're the fattest in Europe after Greece, not too far down the list but not in the top 20.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Jun 16, 2018
and they used to be on the quiz judging from the comments. Not sure what changed. Maybe they switched from "overweight" to "obese" or something else like that.
Sifhraven
+1
Level 74
May 12, 2025
Or maybe the rest of the world just got fatter and they stayed roughly the same.

Overweight quiz seems unlikely

Cooldrive
+1
Level 64
Mar 2, 2018
How could I miss Samoa?
holapino
+3
Level 32
Oct 12, 2018
So basically entire Oceania. It's just genetics.
blizzrd33
+19
Level 80
Jul 3, 2019
It really isn't, it's more about diet and poor people buying cheap imported high-fat food products.
Dollyfroggy
+1
Level 63
Dec 20, 2024
And cultural practices.
Omnikin
+1
Level 68
Nov 6, 2018
Houston, we have a problem in Nauru.
Baxtergrad
+1
Level 51
Dec 12, 2020
"Our ship didn't burn up in the atmosphere...and it's heading straight for Nauru!!!"
coro
+7
Level 58
Nov 7, 2018
I think that maybe this shows why the BMI standard should be discredited as it really cannot be applied internationally as claimed. It is laughable to think that both Polynesian and Asian body types should be judged by it.
Nabium
+6
Level 24
Jan 24, 2019
High BMI is clearly a cause in severe diseases, and kills a lot of people. If you discard it, then what would you replace it with? How would doctors check if their patience have increased risk of early death?

It's an objective measurement and the best tool we have.

The countries in Oceania with high obesity all score very low in life expectancy, with mostly only poor underdeveloped African countries below them. Their obesity is a huge problem, and cause early death. To just dismiss it as "BMI should be discredited" is VERY irresponsible of you.

There is no better tool than BMI in order to address both public and private health risks due to obesity. So if you want to discard it, please inform me of what you would replace it with!!!!!

kalbahamut
+12
Level 81
Apr 1, 2019
While coro maybe overstated the point, he's actually right that BMI is not the best way of measuring how fat or out of shape someone is. It's an overly simplistic formula and people with wider, squatter bodies will be labeled as obese more easily using it. It also doesn't factor in how much muscle mass your body has so champion body builders would be severely obese going by BMI. Better ways of measuring include looking at hip:waist ratio, air displacement of your total body mass (can figure out how dense you are), the skinfold thickness test (pinch some fat off your body), or a DEXA scan or other more technologically advanced ways of measuring your body fat %. BMI is *a* tool but it's far from the best and it does run in to some problems applied across many different body types.

That being said, Polynesians are obese and unhealthy and this is mostly the product of poor diet and little exercise, not just different body types.

kalbahamut
+3
Level 81
Sep 22, 2020
What am I rationalizing?

As for the diet - I have not been to many Pacific islands before outside of the Philippines (and the Filipino diet consists of a lot of rice, a lot of fried stuff, and a lot of fast food), but my friends who have worked or built residences in places like Samoa, Guam, and the Marshall Islands tell me that they eat a ton of SPAM and other fatty processed canned foods.

kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Sep 26, 2020
I forgot the other staple of a Filipino diet: very bland spaghetti.
SirPhilippines
+1
Level 71
Feb 24, 2022
You kidding? Bland spaghetti? Go to Jollibee, order spaghetti, and you'll get a heart attack from all the sugar. The rest is pretty accurate, but don't forget the pork and beef included.
kalbahamut
+1
Level 81
Feb 24, 2022
I was thinking of Jollibee specifically. The spaghetti sauce they use is basically ketchup. No texture. No flavor. No herbs or spices. And then many other fast food chains have copied that. It's sub-Chef-Boyardee quality spaghetti. Just awful. But their spicy fried chicken is alright.
LairdW
+2
Level 47
Jan 20, 2019
Pacific Islands ftw!
Xtrordinary
+3
Level 72
Jan 12, 2025
I dont think thats a good thing
Nabium
+6
Level 24
Jan 24, 2019
Somewhere, over the rainbow.
Aaron197
+1
Level 75
Jun 27, 2019
Didn't expect Turkey to be in this list
HyddenRizz
+1
Level 67
Feb 22, 2023
They have very nice food, a lot of which is not very healthy food
Anderis
+3
Level 74
Oct 3, 2019
So pasically Oceanian nations followed by Middle East with USA and Bahamas thrown into the mix.
IsleAuHaulte
+2
Level 91
Oct 17, 2019
USA guessed 100% of the time. Next highest? 53% for Samoa which starts a chain of naming Pacific island nations.

I'm reminded of Top Gear where they have the non-speaking, face-shielded, character The Stig. When they came to the U.S. he walks out of his dressing trailer and his trademark white race car driver's jump suit cuts a typical fat bellied American profile.

svelte
+3
Level 50
Nov 2, 2019
Nauru’s obesity rate has decreased dramatically - used to be around 75% a few years ago. Rip the USA for it getting 100% on this.
RKS
+6
Level 66
Dec 13, 2019
Pretty scary that almost 4 out of 10 Americans is obese...very worrying.
Quizmaster
+6
Level ∞
Dec 13, 2019
True, although the rates for many western European countries are quite high as well.
HyddenRizz
+8
Level 67
Feb 22, 2023
The highest western European country is the UK at 28%. This is very high, but the USA is at a whopping 36%.

Not sure why Quizmaster felt the need to call out "western Europe" when Australia, New Zealand, much of the middle east, Hungary, Czechia, Uruguay, Argentina, Libya are all higher than "western Europe".

nerdalert
+1
Level 87
Dec 17, 2024
I believe the point he's indirectly making is that the obesity rate for Americans of European descent is 28.6%, which is not that much higher than Europeans.
DonTheLamplighter
+7
Level 86
Mar 16, 2020
With such a high obesity rate in Nauru, I hope the people spread out evenly so the island doesn't capsize.
protector441
+3
Level 48
Nov 10, 2023
They are preparing for the sinking of their island due to climate change. You know fat tend to float on the water.
Malbaby
+1
Level 70
May 30, 2020
I think that there would be many other countries on this listing if they could afford more decent food. Another list could be countries that have a high percentage of undernourished citizens.
mapgeek
+1
Level 63
Jul 28, 2020
I'm really surprised it's mostly the Pacific island countries.
NHG
+1
Level 48
Sep 22, 2020
Why would it be surprising? It's obviously the natural place to start guessing on this topic once you've got the US. Even if you haven't personally met any Pacific islanders, you'll have noticed when watching rugby (and American football).
Xenobiologista
+3
Level 59
Nov 13, 2020
The peoples of the Pacific tended to eat large meals throughout the day because they did everything by hand. Now that it's all industrialized, they're just doing the eating because that was the culture: big families, and big meals.
ing
+6
Level 72
Sep 23, 2020
New Zealand?? I think of Kiwis as lean, sporty types always climbing mountains or doing stuff, not as sedentary porkers.
Kawada01
+1
Level 62
Nov 4, 2023
I'm surprised Australia isn't up there honestly.
rabble
+1
Level 68
Nov 8, 2023
It seems to have a population of @5m, with @0.6m on welfare. I'd be interested to see the stats for >18-25 years of age + welfare + obese, I'd assume there's a correlation there.
akp713
+1
Level 88
Dec 16, 2024
NZ isn't on the list anymore, but it is on the higher end because it has a large Pacific Islander population. There are more Samoans and Tongans in NZ than in Samoa and Tonga. Their extremely high obesity rates thus push NZ much higher.
Regtheledge1000
+2
Level 28
Sep 24, 2020
Ohhhh.... hi Africa.... I wasn’t expecting to see you here
Xenobiologista
+2
Level 59
Nov 13, 2020
If you take off the bottom two rows, the left is just Oceania, and the right is just the Middles East.
Baxtergrad
+2
Level 51
Dec 12, 2020
Kuwait is in Oceania? The Bahamas are in the Middle East?
TheBerryLegend
+4
Level 51
Jan 19, 2021
GrandOldMan "Take off the last TWO BOTTOM ROWS"
TurkeyCookTime
+1
Level 83
Apr 13, 2023
Bottom TWO rows.
CS
+1
Level 66
Jan 5, 2021
1/5 of all quiz takers only got the USA. I don’t know what to say about this.
TheBerryLegend
+1
Level 51
Jan 19, 2021
There is a pattern n the answers, first Oceania (Ignore the U.S.) than, around the Ottoman Empire (If you do not know what the Ottoman Empire is just think of around Saudi Arabia)and than, the last two are both just completely random although they are technically both island countries.

Poor Oceania, the first 8 countries are all Oceania, and there is a random Oceanian country hanging around the bottom

If you take off the BOTTOM TWO ROWS you will just get the Oceanian countries on the left and on the right countries around Ottoman Empire (Countries around Saudi Arabia basically is the Ottoman Empire *Just a reminder) / the Middle East countries

priamos
+2
Level 64
Dec 17, 2024
Yes, there are some cultural factors at play here. In the pacific area where food was previously scarce it was a sign of beauty - or at least of success - to be fat. To this day their idea of a good meal is loads of food on the plate. In the Arabic world, where mostly they don't drink alcohol such as champagne, a celebration takes the form of plentry of incredibly sweet pastry on a big table. For the same reason they also hold the world record in diabetes.
Larko458
+7
Level 56
Feb 10, 2021
Lmao the fact that 99% of people got USA, and next is 55%
ooftownroad
+2
Level 64
Apr 2, 2021
what about Brunei
SpartanLlama
+3
Level 74
Jun 4, 2021
Interesting
Fergy586
+3
Level 78
Aug 19, 2021
Suprised to see any African countries on here at all
Luxemburger
+2
Level 43
Sep 16, 2021
I only got usa...
KK1978
+1
Level 65
Nov 1, 2021
Oceania countries and Middle Eastern countries are dominating the list. Oh! and also the country people talk about the most as obese, USA and also The Bahamas meaning two of the richest countries surrounding the Caribbean Sea. Knew most Arabian countries are fat because of so much money except Syria, Iraq and Yemen. But how can countries that are poor (Oceanic countries) are so fat? Answer is they were once very rich like Nauru since it sold phosphate from phosphate mineral deposits on the island but when they got lower and lower, they became poor people from nobles. Anyways quiz is very good.
kalbahamut
+5
Level 81
Feb 24, 2022
It has more to do with diet and lifestyle than wealth these days. You don't really need to be wealthy to be obese anymore. Low-quality, high-calorie processed food is often the cheapest stuff available, depending on where you live.
Odi
+1
Level 43
Jun 22, 2022
nothing to do with wealth, more to do with cultural lifestyle and diet
gzx5
+1
Level 73
Feb 24, 2022
Why are Polynesians disproportionately affected by obesity?
Unobtainium
+1
Level 48
May 13, 2025
Poverty, traditions involving big meals, and food deserts.
Qikiq
+3
Level 89
Feb 24, 2022
Why is this quiz featured today if it's not Fat Tuesday?
Ethaboo444
+1
Level 58
Feb 24, 2022
Because there is always at least one person in the world that is fat everyday. We must give appreciation! lol
Fuse
+1
Level 78
Feb 24, 2022
Today is Fat Thursday and not Fat Tuesday - that comes on Tuesday.
AlexThirkell
+3
Level 74
Feb 24, 2022
Quiz is a good one, but 5 days early...
daddydonkey
+1
Level 25
Feb 25, 2022
I'm suprised that USA not 1st, btw I got 20/20
maple
+1
Level 52
Mar 22, 2022
So basically all Oceanian countries, all Middle Eastern countries and New Zealand, Bahamas and the U.S.A!
Neodymium
+1
Level 63
Nov 21, 2024
nz is in oceania
GreenGeographer
+2
Level 46
Apr 24, 2022
Wow, so few European countries
AlexThirkell
+2
Level 74
Nov 4, 2023
0 is very few indeed.
Swissnuetral
+1
Level 15
Jun 29, 2022
I thought Canada, Solomon Islands and Caribbean countries were
cuntree
+1
Level 30
Sep 14, 2022
The islanders aren't fat. Most of it is muscle. You would know that if you have ever watched a rugby game.
AllOfSanMarino
+2
Level 67
Feb 6, 2025
Because all islanders play rugby
yummypizza491
+2
Level 46
Apr 13, 2023
i love how everyone just guessed usa
wkrpnyc
+1
Level 82
Nov 4, 2023
So much for the acclaimed benefits of the delicious Mediterranean diet, with 9 of the countries either on the Mediterranean or sharing most of its beneficial characteristics (ie olive oil, fruits, vegetables, beans and other legumes, nuts, herbs, and spices, proportionally less meat than stereotypical American/Canadian and northern European diets). I've recently been making a lot of Mediterranean inspired food, and questioned its "healthfulness" as I kept pouring more and more oil in.
erikj
+5
Level 66
Nov 4, 2023
Mediterranean diet mostly refers to the European side of the Mediterranean Sea. (Italian, Spanish, Greek). When you go east, it becomes Middle Eastern diet, and then across the sea it will be considered North-African. I have never heard someone refer to Moroccan or Algerian food as 'mediterranean'.
vermiciousknid
+3
Level 90
Dec 17, 2024
@wkrpnyc, I'm not sure what countries you're referring to, but currently only one Mediterranean country makes the list.
Sifhraven
+1
Level 74
May 12, 2025
I don't know how he managed it, but he must have been confusing the Mediterranean with Oceania, since, including NZ which used to be on the list, there are exactly 9 of those. That does not explain his description of diet though, but it is the only way you could get to 9 countries in a specific region. (americas 6, middle east (including egypt) 6)
AlexThirkell
+3
Level 74
Nov 4, 2023
#1 guessed: USA with 99%

#2 guessed: Samoa with 54%

Ouch.

When I was in the USA recently I did indeed see a lot of overweight people, but then I also noticed a lot of super-fit people. Where I live in South America not many people are on either extreme to be honest, but on average maybe the health of the overall population is somewhere about the same.

joedimaggio
+1
Level 74
Nov 4, 2023
Big up to the USA to be the only non-arabic / non-insular country in the list. A little self-reflexion wouldn't hurt...
MindWax
+2
Level 86
Dec 16, 2024
Self-reflexion: when the doctor knocks on his own knee with the little hammer?
Unobtainium
+1
Level 48
May 13, 2025
They don't make mirrors big enough for that.
Kawada01
+1
Level 62
Nov 4, 2023
Higher wealth relative to education level?
protector441
+2
Level 48
Nov 10, 2023
What (positive) happened to Vanuatu, that it makes exception to all of its neighbors (except Fiji, which is somewhat understandable)? I actually thought, I made a typo, when it was not accepted.
cocachiantos
+1
Level 73
May 6, 2025
While the rest of the Pacific is relying on cheap imported foods, some Vanuatu provinces are putting restrictions on these and try to develop subsidience local agriculture instead
Sifhraven
+1
Level 74
May 12, 2025
Solomon Islands aren't on here either, probably just me, but why is Fiji understandable?

I wanted to ask the same question about Fiji and Solomon islands you did about Vanuatu (somehow didn't register that one was "missing" too)

cameoman
+3
Level 34
May 6, 2024
basically usa, arabia, and oceania
shrekcena
+2
Level 58
Aug 22, 2024
God the percentages of correct guesses is hilarious. United States at 99% and the next highest is at 54% 😭
Vaswani
+1
Level 22
Aug 28, 2024
Nauru is a tiny little Oceanic country and it has the highest obesity rate in 2023 or 2022? Huh?
Vaswani
+1
Level 22
Aug 28, 2024
Well, I'm sure this quiz was made in 2023 or 2022.
Neodymium
+1
Level 63
Nov 21, 2024
99% got usa, ~50% got the next answer
qwertyyyyyyyyyy
+1
Level 20
Nov 28, 2024
how is Australia not on here
vacationmom
+1
Level 66
Dec 12, 2024
I refused to believe that the USA has a significantly higher obesity rate compared to Canada and I was glad to have that confirmed. They barely missed 10th place.
Sifhraven
+1
Level 74
May 12, 2025
What are you talking about?? Canada is nr 74 on the list and usa is nr 13.

Btw for those interested (or surprised usa wasn't higher) If you go just by women USA is nr 5 on the list.

Sifhraven
+1
Level 74
May 12, 2025
Did you perhaps misread Qatar for Canada? Qatar is the one that barely misses 10th place and the names do share at least some resemblance.
Daniel1712
+1
Level 70
Dec 12, 2024
It’s basically USA, USA‘s ex colonies and the arab world who discovered that it indeed tastes very good
Xtrordinary
+1
Level 72
Jan 12, 2025
Liberia isnt on here?
Lobito
+1
Level 28
Jan 14, 2025
Because Africa

Egypt is an exception and maybe technically a Midwest country

Bhanav
+2
Level 58
Dec 16, 2024
The Nauru country quiz also will need an update, as it is no longer the most obese country in the world
nerdalert
+1
Level 87
Dec 17, 2024
Sad to see Chile make the cut this year. Luckily our economy will be crashing soon, so we should fall back off.
Lobito
+1
Level 28
Jan 14, 2025
What is your problem
CaptainUnderpant
+3
Level 81
Dec 20, 2024
URL for the quiz says counties instead of countries lol
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