The United States is no longer the world’s most obese nation. A new report from the United Nations gives that title to Mexico.
It states nearly seventy percent of Mexican adults are overweight and childhood obesity has tripled in the past decade. 32.8 percent of Mexican adults are considered obese, compared to 31.8 percent of adults in the U.S.
Nearly seventy thousand deaths in Mexico each year are caused by weight-related diabetes. More than four hundred thousand new cases of diabetes are diagnosed annually. Experts believe the rise in Mexico’s obesity rates has to do with the growing gap between the country’s classes.
As half the population currently lives below the poverty line, as healthy diets become unaffordable, individuals with low incomes are found to consume cheaper and unhealthier food such as fast food and sodas.
Other research suggests those living in Mexico that move from rural to urban areas face higher food prices and less active lifestyles.
Lyssa Hansen, Health Matters