What share of the adult population in North America is obese?

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The United States has the reputation of being the most obese country in the world. Although the US is definitely one of the most obese countries in the world, it’s not the most obese country in the world. Many countries in Oceania and some in the Middle East are more obese than the US.

The obesity rate tells us what percentage of adults have an extremely unhealthy BMI (≥30). Although BMI is not always accurate on an individual level (sometimes due to muscle mass), it is fairly accurate on a population level.

On this map, we’re going to look at the obesity rate in North America at a more regional level. Although things are not looking good for the US, it’s starting to look very worrying for the rest of North America. Some parts of Mexico and Canada are quickly catching up with the US. Especially Mexico, which now has 8 of the 10 most obese areas in North America. The Canadian provinces of Newfoundland & Labrador and New Brunswick have a higher obesity rate than the US’ most obese state (West Virginia). The same goes for countries like the Bahamas, St Kitts and Nevis and Belize.