Special Report

These Countries Now Have More Obese People Than Hungry People

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24/7 Wall St. Insights

  • Innovations in free trade have allowed U.S. food exports to prolierate around the world.
  • While cheap food is helping reduce world hunger, it is also causing obesity to skyrocket.
  • In the last 20 years, the share of obese residents surpassed the share of underweight residents in 43 countries.
  • Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

Over the last 40 years, improvements in industrial scale farming, innovations in the global supply chain, and the establishment of free trade organizations like NAFTA and the WTO have enabled U.S. Big Ag companies to export the Western diet to the rest of the world. American agricultural exports have more than tripled since the turn of the century, from $55.0 billion in 2000 to $188.9 billion in 2023. While rising food export activity has allowed cheap food to proliferate around the world, it has also resulted in widespread negative health effects. Diabetes is on the rise in the developed world, and obesity is on the rise globally.

In some countries, public health concerns over diet have shifted from underabundance to overabundance. In a recent paper published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet, researchers harmonized BMI data across 3,663 different studies to develop historical estimates of underweight and obesity prevalence in 200 countries. The resulting data reveals 43 countries where the prevalence of obesity has surpassed the prevalence of underweight or thinness since 1990.

While most of the populations where obesity has surpassed underweight or thinness are in developing nations in Asia and Africa, some countries stand out from the cluster. In South Korea, for example, as the percentage of adults with underweight BMI fell from 5.1% in 1990 to 5.0% in 2022, the percentage of adults with obese BMI rose from 1.5% to 7.2%. Similar swings occurred in upper middle income countries outside of Asia and Africa like Guyana and Cuba. But the largest swing occurred in Pakistan, where the percentage of adults with underweight BMI fell from 27.4% to 6.7% as the percentage of adults with obese BMI rose from 3.2% to 23.7%. Explore the gallery to see the full list of countries.

To determine the countries that now have more obese people than hungry people, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on historical BMI estimates from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. Countries were ranked based on the magnitude of change from adult underweight prevalence to adult obesity prevalence, measured as the sum of the absolute value of the change in adult underweight prevalence from 1990 to 2022 and the change in adult obesity prevalence from 1990 to 2022.

BMI estimates were averaged across male and female populations. Only countries where adult obesity prevalence surpassed adult underweight prevalence were considered. Underweight prevalence is the percentage of adults with body mass index below 18.5 kilograms per meters of height squared, while obesity prevalence is the percentage of adults with body mass index greater than or equal to 30 kilograms per meters of height squared. Supplemental data on population is from the World Bank.

43. South Korea

Mlenny / E+ via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 7.2%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.5%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 5.0%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 5.1%
  • Total population: 51,712,619

42. Singapore

guvendemir / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 13.9%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 4.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 7.5%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 7.1%
  • Total population: 5,917,648

41. Taiwan

Sean3810 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.3%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.2%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 4.5%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 8.0%
  • Total population: 51,712,619

40. Zimbabwe

Sproetniek / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 13.8%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 5.7%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 7.0%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.7%
  • Total population: 16,665,409

39. China

ASKA / E+ via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 8.4%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.4%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 4.4%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 10.3%
  • Total population: 1,410,710,000

38. Mauritius

Nuture / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 19.5%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 8.7%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 5.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 8.8%
  • Total population: 1,261,041

37. Yemen

zanskar / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 14.1%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.5%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 10.6%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 14.8%
  • Total population: 34,449,825

36. Angola

Luke Dray / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.7%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.1%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 9.6%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 15.9%
  • Total population: 36,684,202

35. Cote d’Ivoire

brendanvanson / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 12.1%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 7.7%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 13.0%
  • Total population: 28,873,034

34. Tanzania

  • Obesity rate, 2022: 12.9%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.1%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 10.9%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 15.4%
  • Total population: 67,438,106

33. Kenya

EunikaSopotnicka / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 12.8%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 12.1%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 16.9%
  • Total population: 55,100,586

32. Sudan

ferozeea / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 17.5%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 4.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 13.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 16.9%
  • Total population: 48,109,006

31. Guinea Bissau

Ultima_Gaina / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.7%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.0%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 9.6%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 16.3%
  • Total population: 2,150,842

30. Benin

peeterv / E+ via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.5%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.1%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 8.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 15.8%
  • Total population: 13,712,828

29. Nigeria

  • Obesity rate, 2022: 12.9%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 9.1%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 15.4%
  • Total population: 223,804,632

28. Zambia

Jason J Mulikita / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.2%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.1%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 8.2%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 16.1%
  • Total population: 20,569,737

27. Mali

  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.8%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.5%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 8.6%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 15.5%
  • Total population: 23,293,698

26. Togo

tree8e / Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 12.0%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.5%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 8.4%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 15.4%
  • Total population: 9,053,799

25. Cameroon

mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 15.4%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.4%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.9%
  • Total population: 28,647,293

24. Ghana

Kwame Kwegyir-Addo / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 13.3%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.0%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.7%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 14.4%
  • Total population: 34,121,985

23. Cabo Verde

cinoby / E+ via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 16.3%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 4.7%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 10.0%
  • Total population: 598,682

22. Lesotho

Riverwill / Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 21.4%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 7.7%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.4%
  • Total population: 2,330,318

21. Namibia

Nate Hovee / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 17.2%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 6.0%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 12.3%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 19.5%
  • Total population: 2,604,172

20. Lao PDR

pressdigital / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 8.3%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.4%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 7.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 19.5%
  • Total population: 7,633,779

19. Sao Tome and Principe

Rui T Guedes / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 17.1%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.1%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.1%
  • Total population: 231,856

18. Comoros

mbrand85 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 16.9%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.2%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.8%
  • Total population: 852,075

17. Equatorial Guinea

vestica / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 19.2%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 5.7%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 8.5%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 14.2%
  • Total population: 1,714,671

16. Botswana

evenfh / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 18.5%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 6.0%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 11.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 18.6%
  • Total population: 2,675,352

15. Thailand

Sakdawut Tangtongsap / Shutterstock.com
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 15.3%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.5%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 5.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 14.7%
  • Total population: 71,801,279

14. Gabon

mtcurado / Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 22.1%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 5.8%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.5%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.4%
  • Total population: 2,436,566

13. North Korea

Omer Serkan Bakir / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.0%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.1%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 9.0%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 21.5%
  • Total population: 26,160,821

12. Cuba

xavierarnau / Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 22.5%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 7.4%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 4.1%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.1%
  • Total population: 11,194,449

11. Liberia

jbdodane / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 17.4%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.0%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 13.1%
  • Total population: 5,418,377

10. Gambia

mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 15.3%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.6%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 10.3%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 19.8%
  • Total population: 2,773,168

9. Indonesia

JokoHarismoyo / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 11.6%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.5%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 8.6%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 22.0%
  • Total population: 277,534,122

8. Guyana

espiegle / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 28.7%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 9.6%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 11.0%
  • Total population: 813,834

7. Mauritania

HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 22.7%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 4.8%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 8.1%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 15.4%
  • Total population: 4,862,989

6. Malaysia

f11photo / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 22.5%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 5.3%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 4.8%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 14.4%
  • Total population: 34,308,525

5. Bhutan

narvikk / Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 12.9%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 1.8%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 2.7%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 18.7%
  • Total population: 787,424

4. Maldives

SHansche / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 18.7%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.9%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 5.4%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 20.6%
  • Total population: 521,021

3. Brunei Darussalam

jikgoe / Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 32.2%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 8.5%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 3.1%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 13.7%
  • Total population: 452,524

2. Afghanistan

Pvince73 / Shutterstock.com
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 19.6%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 2.0%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 5.6%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 27.7%
  • Total population: 42,239,854

1. Pakistan

mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
  • Obesity rate, 2022: 23.7%
  • Obesity rate, 1990: 3.2%
  • Underweight rate, 2022: 6.7%
  • Underweight rate, 1990: 27.4%
  • Total population: 240,485,658

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