Changes in lifestyle in recent history have resulted in an increase in obesity prevalence in the world. A sedentary lifestyle coupled with the consumption of processed food has made it one of the major issues in the world. The United States is also one of the most overweight and obese countries. Recent obesity statistics show that nearly one-third of adults in the United States are overweight, and over 40% are considered to be obese. Twelve of the 30 cities in our list of most overweight and obese cities in the world belong to the United States. A US city is also a part of our top five.
Before addressing its impact on health, we must ask what is obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an obese person as someone who has a body mass index (BMI) of over 25. A BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms or pounds, divided by their height in meters square. A person who has a higher than 25 BMI is likely to have excessive fat accumulation, which presents several health risks associated with obesity. Overall, it has a negative effect on the lifestyle and life expectancy. Obese people are at a higher risk of developing Chronic diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. Other medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, digestive problems, and sleep apnea can also be caused by obesity. In addition, it can also cause mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
The evergrowing obesity and the desire to lose weight have paved the way for a weight loss industry that has grown exponentially in a short period. However, the lucrative nature of the market has also given rise to some diet fads which promise to reduce significant amounts of weight in a reduced time. The obsession with losing weight and looking in a certain desirable way has also resulted in eating disorders, such as anorexia, where people put themselves into physical harm.
In addition, the rise of weight loss supplements and so-called anti-obesity medications has prompted governments throughout the world to take severe actions. Ozempic, a drug by Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO), is primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes as it helps to lower blood sugar. However, more recently, it is increasingly being used for weight loss, for which it is not officially approved. A TikTok trend made the drug so popular that people with diabetes started fearing its shortage. However, TikTok responded with a crackdown on all weight-loss drugs.
The trend even led to the creation of a black market for Ozempic, which was met with a crackdown by countries such as the United Kingdom. Back in 2019, Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)’s popular social media platform, Instagram, took measures to cut down on posts that promote weight-loss products. In general, both Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)’s Facebook and Instagram have a more restrictive policy towards the promotion of weight-loss products, especially those that promise a quick fix. On a more positive note, some diet companies are working to promote sustainable nutrition programs and supplements to facilitate weight loss. One of these is Medifast, Inc. (NYSE:MED), one of the largest diet companies. More recently, the company saw a decline in share price and EPS, due to the changes in microeconomic and competitive environments. However, Medifast, Inc. (NYSE:MED) has responded by reassessing the drivers for long-term growth. The company is now on an aggressive path to make meaningful investments and seek growth in new environments. In its Q2 2023 earnings call, Medifast, Inc. announced the following:
“We are also moving forward with some exciting new initiatives, which we expect will be drivers for future performance, focused on monetizing multiple healthy habits.”
While Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic is being used off-label for weight loss, the company is focused on selling legitimate weight loss drugs that are proving to be beneficial. Its weight loss treatment drug Wegovy has positive trial data and an ever-increasing demand. The drug is soaring in demand which enabled the Novo Nordisk to upgrade its operating profit expectations last year. Another big-name pharmaceutical, Eli Lily and Company (NYSE:LLY) is in phase three trials of Orforglipron, a weight-loss oral drug that is delivering promising results. The drug has a strong efficacy profile which is unsurprising since Eli Lily and Company (NYSE:LLY) is one of the biggest diet/weight-loss companies in the world. Here is what Carillon Clarivest Capital Appreciation Fund said about Eli Lilly and Company in its Q3 2023 investor letter:
“Eli Lilly and Company, the drug manufacturer, announced the completion of previously disclosed acquisitions of Versanis Bio and Sigilon Therapeutics, as it continues to expand its pipeline for diabetes and weight-loss medications. Shares gained after its sales and earnings per share exceeded estimates and a competitor’s study on the beneficial results of these treatments reported positive data”
The imbalance between the intake and expenditure of calories is among the top causes of obesity. As such, fast food consumption results in excessive consumption of calories. The global average intake of calories has increased from 2,200 kcal per day to 2,800 from the 1960s to 2013. The increase in this calorie intake can be attributed to the popularity of carbonated beverage and fast food brands. According to a study by George Washington University, the United States bears a medical cost ranging from $147 billion to $210 billion annually because of obesity. Loss of productivity because of obesity-related conditions further costs the country anywhere between $3.38 billion to $6.38 billion each year. Given that obesity causes a huge financial strain on the country’s economy, more should be done to regulate brands that sell processed food.
With that backdrop, let’s look at the 30 most overweight and obese cities in the world.
Photo by Evgeny Nelmin on Unsplash
Methodology
For our list of the 30 most overweight and obese cities in the world, we relied on Google Trends 2023 data. Comprehensive data on worldwide cities regarding obesity was not available at the time of writing this article. First, we selected 25 countries featured on our list of most obese countries. Then, for each country, we looked at city-wise Google Trends on the following topic: weight loss. The premise here is that the higher the popularity of this topic, the more prevalent obesity will be. Google Trends scores each region or city out of 100 regarding the popularity of the topic. We noted down the Google Trends score of the cities for which the data was available and ranked them based on this. As a tie-breaker, we used the ranking of their countries in our list of the most obese countries.
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30 – Salwa, Kuwait
Google Trends Score – 87
Salwa, Kuwait is among the most overweight and obese cities. Obesity in Kuwait has been on the rise since the 1980s, and it has been featured on numerous obese countries lists.
29 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Google Trends Score – 88
There is a high prevalence of obesity in Dubai. 17.8% of adults aged 18 and above are obese in the state.
28 – Paducah, Kentucky, United States
Google Trends Score – 88
Paducah is among the most overweight cities in the United States. The obesity rate in children aged 10 to 1 is the second highest in Kentucky state, where Paducah is located.
27 – Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Google Trends Score – 88
According to data from the CDC, Alabama, the state in which Birmingham is located, had the third highest obesity rate among all other states at 39.9%.
26 – Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States
Google Trends Score – 88
Clarksburg has an overall adult obesity rate of 32.7%, which is slightly higher than its state’s adult obesity rate of 31.1%.
25 – Tunceli, Turkey
Google Trends Score – 89
Tunceli is among the most obese cities in the world. Overall, Turkey has an obesity problem, as 39.6% of its population is overweight, and 29.5% is obese.
24 – Alexandria, California, United States
Google Trends Score – 89
With a Google Trend score of 89, Alexandria is among the most obese and overweight cities according to our methodology.
23 – Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States
Google Trends Score – 89
While Jonesboro has a lower than national average obesity rate, 32% of its population is overweight. With a 29.3% obesity rate, nearly 60% of Jonesboro is either obese or overweight.
22 – Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Google Trends Score – 90
Jackson is one of the most obese and overweight cities in the world, according to our methodology. The city had an overall obesity rate of 32% in 2015.
21 – Beirut, Lebanon
Google Trends Score – 91
Beirut is the most obese city in Lebanon. Lebanon has a huge obesity problem, as 52.7% of its population is obese.
20 – Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Google Trends Score – 91
Montgomery is among the top 20 most obese and overweight cities in the world according to our methodology. It is located in Alabama, the state with the third highest obesity rate among all US states.
19 – Mobile, Alabama, United States
Google Trends Score – 91
Mobile is the third city situated in Alabama, which has ended up in our list of the most overweight and obese cities in the world.
18 – Bluefield, Virginia, United States
Google Trends Score – 92
Bluefield, a city located in Virginia, is one of the most obese cities in the United States. Virginia has an overall high obesity rate, but Blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately affected. Despite accounting for 18% and 10% of the population respectively, the obesity rates in Blacks and Hispanics were 47% and 30%.
17 – Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Google Trends Score – 92
With a Google Trends score of 92, Lexington is one of the most overweight and obese cities in the United States. The city had an overall adult obesity rate of 30% in 2015.
16 – Meridian, Mississippi, United States
Google Trends Score – 96
54.9% of people in Meridian, United States, are either obese or overweight. With a Google Trend score of 96, it is the 16th most obese and overweight city in the world.
15 – Al Janabiyah, Bahrain
Google Trends Score – 100
Bahrain has an overall obesity problem. According to data from WHO, 72% of adults aged 18 years or above are either overweight or obese in the country.
14 – Nasinu, Fiji
Google Trends Score – 100
With a perfect score of 100, Nasinu is one of the most overweight and obese cities in the world. 38.4% of adult women and 28.4% of adult men are obese in Fiji.
13 – Muriwai, New Zealand
Google Trends Score – 100
Around one in three adults in New Zealand is obese. Its city, Muriwai, is among the top 15 most overweight and obese cities in the world according to our methodology.
12 – Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Google Trends Score – 100
Like all of UAE, Sharjah has an obesity problem. 57.6% of adults in the UAE are either overweight or obese.
11 – Nassau, Bahamas
Google Trends Score – 100
Obesity prevalence in Bahamas is higher than the regional average of 30.7%. Adults obesity rate in the country is 41%
10 – Madinaty, Egypt
Google Trends Score – 100
Madinaty is the most obese city in Egypt according to our methodology. Egypt is struggling with an obesity problem, as 44.7% of adults aged 18 and above are living with obesity.
9 – Bayburt, Turkey
Google Trends Score – 100
With a score of 100, Bayburt is among the top 10 most overweight and obese cities in the world. It is also the most obese and overweight city in Turkey, according to our methodology.
8 – Janzour, Libya
Google Trends Score – 100
Libya, overall, has a high prevalence of obesity. 42.8% of adults aged 18 or over are currently living with obesity in Libya.
7 – Al Khor, Qatar
Google Trends Score – 100
Al Khor is one of the most overweight and obese cities in the world. The overall adult obesity rate in Qatar is 46.1%.
6 – Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
Google Trends Score – 100
Thuwal is among the top ten most overweight and obese cities in the world. 68.2% of people in Saudi Arabia are either overweight or obese.
5 – Charleston, West Virginia, United States
Google Trends Score – 100
The US city among the top five most overweight and obese cities in the world, according to our methodology, is Charleston.
4 – Abu Halifa, Kuwait
Google Trends Score – 100
Abu Halifa is the fourth most obese and overweight city in the world. Obesity is a rising issue in Kuwait, as it is often mentioned as one of the fattest countries in the world.
3 – Tuamasaga, Samoa
Google Trends Score – 100
Tuamasaga is among the top three most obese and overweight cities in the world. It is located in Samoa, where 53% of the population is obese.
2 – Tongatapu, Tonga
Google Trends Score – 100
Tongatapu has a Google Trend score of 100 and is located in Tonga, one of the most obese countries in the world.
1 – Avarua, Cook Islands
Google Trends Score – 100
Cook Islands was second on our list of the most obese countries. Its city, Avarua has topped our list of the 30 most overweight and obese cities in the world.
Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge funds’ investor letters by entering your email address below. You can also take a peek at 25 Least Obese Countries in the World and 20 Most Obese Developed Countries in the World.
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This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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