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Ten Fattest Countries

#24
My father told me people in Egypt are "big". I thought he was joking. Guess he's vindicated. #5.

Surprised by Eastern European nations being on the list: maybe not all the people there are as good looking as I think.

BTW, don't sweat over it guys: being overweight is just shows that you're eating well. And not starving like people over here :hiding:
 
#27
Jazz Ad said:
Yet in these countries, the poorest is the fattest.
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+1

Poverty is linked to obesity in this county.
champbassist said:
BTW, don't sweat over it guys: being overweight is just shows that you're eating well. And not starving like people over here :hiding:
Click to expand...
Neither obesity nor starving are healthy. It's all about the middle ground.
 
#29
In some cultures, and historically in Western cultures, being fat was a sign of wealth. You could afford to overeat. Similarly, 150 years ago and more, having pale skin was considered beautiful, tans were for peasants. Then with industrialization, the "peasants" worked inside in factories and were pale, and those with leisure could take in the sun - so being tan was beautiful, and pale was "pasty" and unattractive.
Now the ball swings the other way - ozone holes make tanning risky, so pale is coming back in, and only the wealthy have the time and money to go to the gym, while everyone else eats processed food and watches a few hours of TV before crashing out - so thin is back in here in the industrialized world...
In some cultures, fat is still where it's at.
 
#32
I have a feeling it is based on BMI, which is not entirely accurate.

I have a current BMI of about 29, which is considered border-line obese, however when I tell people that my BMI say I am obese, nobody believes it. Most people say I look normal. I played Rugby Union and entered some junior body-building championships a few years ago and then I was 5'11 and 253lb. BMI: 35. Doesn't really say much about that persons health and well-being. So it doesn't really surprise me that the samoans are on top, those guys eat Taro AKA 'pacific islander steroids' all day long.

Cheers,
Jordan
 
#36
What defines overweight here?

In the Navy we have a pretty idealistic view of build. If you are anything but a slender person you will fail the height to weight measurement and will have to be measured by "rope and choke". @ 5' 10" I can only weight 191#. Folks my height who like to lift weights and get real buff always end up being "overweight".
 
#37
Kwesi said:
How are the top two... islands? I don't know if my reasoning makes any sense but I figure on an island with limited technological convenience the population would be slimmer.
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Your mistake is thinking that Americans are fat because of technological convenience and not because most Americans have really bad diets ON TOP of that convenience. Japan is way ahead of the states in technological convenience and probably way further down the list than the US.
 
#38
syciprider said:
What defines overweight here?

In the Navy we have a pretty idealistic view of build. If you are anything but a slender person you will fail the height to weight measurement and will have to be measured by "rope and choke". @ 5' 10" I can only weight 191#. Folks my height who like to lift weights and get real buff always end up being "overweight".
Click to expand...

There is statistical evidence that high BMI is bad, when adjusted for all other confounding factors.

Low BMI + healthy -> High BMI + healthy -> low BMI + unhealthy -> high BMI + unhealthy.

There are certain body components that suffer from extra weight, regardless of whether it's healthy muscle or unhealthy fat.
 

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