How we get fat: Buy one, get one free
Buy one, get one free
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there are now over 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world. That number is projected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years. The following list reflects the percentage of overweight adults aged 15 and over. These are individuals who have Body Mass Index greater than or equal to 25. Obesity is defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 30. In the United States 74.1% of the people are overweight or obese. That is almost 3/4 of the entire population.
| Rank | Country | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nauru | 94.5 |
| 2. | Micronesia | 91.1 |
| 3. | Cook Islands | 90.9 |
| 4. | Tonga | 90.8 |
| 5. | Niue | 81.7 |
| 6. | Samoa | 80.4 |
| 7. | Palau | 78.4 |
| 8. | Kuwait | 74.2 |
| 9. | United States | 74.1 |
| 10. | Kiribati | 73.6 |
| 11. | Dominica | 71.0 |
| 12. | Barbados | 69.7 |
| 13. | Argentina | 69.4 |
| 14. | Egypt | 69.4 |
| 15. | Malta | 68.7 |
| 16. | Greece | 68.5 |
| 17. | New Zealand | 68.4 |
| 18. | United Arab Emirates | 68.3 |
| 19. | Mexico | 68.1 |
| 20. | Trinidad and Tobago | 67.9 |
One of the reasons why Americans are so fat is that they cannot pass up a bargain. The way in which food is merchandised makes it virtually impossible to buy only a reasonable amount of food. Look at the receipt above. You buy one and you get one free. If you buy only one, it is like throwing half of your money away. Who is going to do that? Nobody. We would rather eat it than waste it. That is how we get fat. Interestingly, you seldom see such sales for fruits and vegetables.
Comments »
MaineBob OConnor said,
2009-04-15 @ 00:56:48
What's with the top four countries all above 90%. I bet that those countries do not have the two for one deals. There must be another factor... And in the USA, Corn... in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup was implicated in the Fattening of Americans in the Indi film "King Corn".
Administrator said,
2009-04-15 @ 02:51:33
Bob,
The countries at the top of the list are in Polynesia. The traditional Polynesian diet consists mainly of taro, yams, bananas, coconuts, and fish baked in leaves. The flesh of young coconuts and coconut water are important parts of the cuisine. Baked breadfruit is popular when it is in season. Leftover food is fed to pigs, which are killed and cooked for special feasts. The modern diet of Polynesians includes large quantities of imported flour and sugar which is made into breads and sodas. The abundance of starchy foods in the diet is responsible for the high rates of obesity.
© Copyright - Antonio Zamora
