MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Chile, Venezuela and Argentina among the three most overweight in South America
Closer to the US than to South Korea A recent international study found that Chile is among the three most overweight countries in South America and that Chile’s women have the second highest body mass index (BMI) on the continent. Chile’s men have the third highest.
Chile’s obesity levels are catching up with those in the United States, which has the largest average BMI in the developed world. Chile’s population also has the worst cholesterol and blood pressure rates on the continent.
Although Chile’s health ministry recently announced that 67% of the population is overweight, or has a BMI of over 25, Chileans were unaware how their “fatness” index compared to neighbouring countries, and how it fared on a world scale.
The study was carried out by researchers at London’s Imperial College and the University of Harvard in Boston.
The study revealed that Chile’s average BMI is 27 for men and 27.9 for women. The only countries with a higher average BMI than Chile in South America are Argentina and Venezuela.
Majid Ezzati, the main researcher of the study, observed that in South Korea the average BMI is 24 for men and 23.3 for women. Ezzati described these levels as exemplary.
“Chile has a medium to high risk level with regards to the health of its population,” said Ezzati
In the U.S., the developed world’s least healthy country, the average BMI is 28.5 for men and 28.3 for women.
By Phil Locker - Santiago Times
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Read all commentsSorry lads this is almost certainly a false story, this appeared in the British papers, saying the British were overweight, then others saying the American were overweight. rubbish story .
Feb 08th, 2011 - 12:26 am 0“In the U.S., the developed world’s least healthy country, the average BMI is 28.5 for men and 28.3 for women.”
Feb 08th, 2011 - 04:05 am 0That is to say, the average American is two steps away from being obese (>30 kg/m²). And all Americans we see on TV are so slender.
This is the single most ridiculous load of crap Mercopress has ever published. It is probably exactly the opposite.
Feb 08th, 2011 - 08:38 am 0However, to say that north-americans are the most overweight in the entire continent would be 100% accurate, being the ignorant, self-indulgent pigs that they are.
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