Australia world's fattest nation, U.S. 2nd

YEAH!!!!!!!!!

We're not No#1. < :-)

Throw anotha shrimp on the barbie to celebrate!

Good to see that Australia is again leading the world in an important category (lol), stories like this make me feel encouraged vis-a-vis Australia's performance at the upcoming Olympics - look for Australian gold in the heavy division of everything (weightlighting, etc). Actually the last time I went back to Australia, I went out for a meal with some close friends. After living in Japan for so long, I had real trouble eating the main course after such a "generous" appetizer (I almost had to purge myself in the toilets). Then again, the biggest eating challenge I have ever faced was trying to eat a USDA approved steak while visiting the US on business. Even on a huge plate (which I would term a serving plate), this slab of meat was literally hanging over the sides. I swear, less fortunate members of the human race (orphans in Africa, etc) could have probably sustained themselves for about 3 weeks on this one meal.

Surprised it is not South Africa, as they are also a major meat/beer consuming nation.

Biltong kicks beef jerkies arse all the way.

When I lived there beef was sooo cheap and some of the best burgers I tasted on this globe.

Damn, I never thought America could have been taken over as the land with the most obese people. I can't say that Americans would want to be #1 in this category.... However, I could be wrong. Does Australia have competitive eating "sports" too? What is on the plate in their competitions?

Wish this report was more in depth. Where is Mexico in this list?

Well us Aussies are a competitive bunch. We hate to lose.

Aussie Aussie Aussie OI OI OI!

Now i understand the problem of food shortage :)

Throw anotha shrimp on the barbie to celebrate!

They're bloody prawns mate!

It's just proof of the quality of living in Australia!

what do you expect when people start drinking or have not stopped drinking at 10 am in the morning, or at least that was my experience when I visited there last time. talk about culture shock. the size of peoples bottocks was huge. men and woman walking round in tight shirts and short pants with blubber everywhere. Yuk!

I blame cars.

I'm not surprised, Australians are really fat. They probably lead the world with the most sun-damaged skin as well. Americans are outrageously fat too, but in general better looking.

America would like to leapfrog back into first place, but it'll probably have to waddle there instead. I wonder if rising oil prices will make a dent in obesity, since people will be less able to live in their cars and food prices will go up. Or will they just stay on the couch and eat even junkier cheap calories?

Time for my jog.

Australians probably feel inferior to the US. This goes back to the old statement "Over Sexed, Over Paid, Over Here" and events such as the Battle of Brisbane. Australians also have an inferiority complex vis-a-vis British culture, I think every Australian aspires to be a member of a nation that is A) Xenophobic, B)Classist and elitist, C) Hopeless at just about every major sport, D) Suffers from bad weather E) Addicted to Kylie Minogue and other "grate" Australian exports. :) Rule Brittania.......

Nessie, I was thinking the same thing. Some of my countrymen have a thing about always being number 1. I imagine they are headed for some comfort food right now. ;-)

Taka

Thin people! So where the bl**dy hell are you?

Americans are outrageously fat too, but in general better looking.

I agree. As proof, look at all the Americans you see in hollywood movies. Absolute stunners, every last one of them, and clearly representative of the population as a whole.

can we get a report on who are the thinnest (but healthy) people?

I don't know why people get so fat. All you have to do is stay away from crap, eat more veggies, lay off the pork and beef except occasionally, drink minimal (no beer) and work out instead of hitting the bars after work. Work out then go out.

I love my body!

I don't know why people get so fat. All you have to do is stay away from crap, eat more veggies, lay off the pork and beef except occasionally, drink minimal (no beer) and work out instead of hitting the bars after work. Work out then go out.

Should have though about that before...

Seriously fast life style makes it quite difficult, there are some people who love meat and won't stay away from it. I think for this kind of thing it's easier and even cheaper to campaign for kids to get a healthier life style and keep it when they grow up. Just a though.

"a fat Olympics"

I suggest the main event be a German sausage scarfing contest.

Fat Australian solution:export 70% of meat,prawn,fish to the outside world (Asia ,Europe...).No too much meat and fat ,no worry.

Bollocks, I guess this report never took into account places like Tonga...

Ok, I just took a simple look on the web and found this list from Forbes, which can be said to be a credible news outlet. http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife-cx_ls_0208worldfat_2.html

This list says Aussie ranks in a 21 and Canada ranks at 31 while the US ranks in at 9!

I will go with Forbes report.

But, anyway, I have never had a weight issue. I still exercise, work out at least three days a week and stay away from junk. Anyone should be able to do it. Getting fat is NOT cool so next time you think you are cool going to the bars and eating at the bar with your mates, stop and think how ridiculous you are going to look in the very near future.

Oh, smoking - now that is worse than the weight problem.

I have never had a weight issue. I still exercise, work out at least three days a week and stay away from junk. Anyone should be able to do it. Getting fat is NOT cool

Just curious, but are you under or over 30? Wait until you hit 40 and your metabolism slows down. You'll swear nothing has changed, except you can't fit in your clothes suddenly.

This problem has been getting worse for ages but I think the government is going to try to fix it up a bit (discounts for fatties in the gym, higher health insurance premiums for airships etc). The anti-smoking campaigns of the 90s were very successful so maybe we can get results.

The worst thing is the fat Aussie yobbo's who seem to regard being obese and due for a massive heart attack at age 50 as some kind of joke. Wake up, you weak tools. Stop eating fast food and drinking so much beer. Eat a vegetable every now and then. The rest of us have to fund the public hospitals when you're on dialysis every day so it's not just a matter of personal choice.

I still exercise, work out at least three days a week and stay away from junk.

I always laugh when I see those people who 'work out' on their tread-mills like hamsters in a cage.

Eat, drink and enjoy life while you can!

Victory! Finally!

and everyone wonders why there's a food shortage worldwide.

"I always laugh when I see those people who 'work out' on their tread-mills like hamsters in a cage. Eat, drink and enjoy life while you can!"

Enjoy it now. Wait till your over 50 and your doctor tells you to start running like a hamster cause your blood pressure/cholesterol/ blood sugar is too high.

Taka, Betzee, Skip, Sarge, daydream, RR, KoolAid, et al, as Americans, it's up to us to step in and make a difference. Don't settle for second best. Be a hero.

26% of Australians = a little bit less than 5 million obese people. This is a population of a big city like LA. 25% of Americans = a little bit less than 70 million people. This is the entire population of a country like Germany.

...and 70 million American obese people is roughly 4 times the population of Australia !

knucklerap: I am over 30 but under 40!

I always laugh when I see those people who 'work out' on their tread-mills like hamsters in a cage. Eat, drink and enjoy life while you can!"

I don't use a thread mill, I use weights on gym days. I do a lot of walking and I can usually bike or walk to Otemachi. I hate smoking, but I also play in a salsa band from time to time so I have to tolerate second hand smoke. I don't like drinking to get drunk. I always laugh when I see people drinking to get drunk then try to hook up with a girl - then you fall asleep. Yup, go ahead and enjoy life as you get fat.

"As proof, look at all the Americans you see in hollywood movies. Absolute stunners, every last one of them, "

Yup, like Jack Black, Chris Farley, John Belushi, John Candy... :)

Superlib, Funny you should mention that... The base here in Yokosuka opened a Chili's recently. I took the family there for the first time last night. After a normal lunch and a Chili's dinner, plus 3 beers last night, I gained an entire kilo. And I couldn't even finish my entree! Both my wife and I commented that the kid's meal portions were bigger than a normal portion at a Japanese family restaurant.

The same goes for McDonald's. I eat there maybe once a month because the kids like the Happy meal toys. They now serve a double 1/4 pounder with cheese! Who the heck needs a 1/2 pound of greasy hamburger?

That we slipped to number 2 is pretty surprising.

Taka

In the 1950's, it was said that McD's was threatened and that their type of business shouldn't be allowed, franchising. However, while franchising is good, the product is killing people. I still am baffled when I see someone in take down a 1/4 pounder. It should be pysically impossible.

After a normal lunch and a Chili's dinner, plus 3 beers last night, I gained an entire kilo" If you continue to eat big like that, eat a grapefruit every night, and in between meals (3 a day). Run/walk/calisthenics in the morning.

Stop eating red meat. This includes fried chicken that is cooked with cow fat. And lay off the beers if you are concerned about your weight.

Kwaabish....John Candy is Canadian. I'm telling you that for your own safety. If you say he's American in the presence of a Canadian you have a good chance of getting stoned to death. With rocks, I mean.

Taka...I don't think Japanese portions are small. In fact, I don't think Japanese people eat less. I think they eat better food overall. I've seen some small Japanese women put away serious amounts of food. I also think the body types are different; I don't think their frame can support much extra weight. You'll never see a Japanese person win a sprint or bodybuilding competition at the Olympics. Pretending we're all the same would be like saying a Japanese person can't run as fast because they just don't train hard enough...

Must be wierd to be fat and "liberal." The whole righteous "green" crowd has the knives out for such people, as far as I can tell.

Skip, Last night was definitely the exception; not the rule. Now you'll have to excuse me, I have to ride my bike over to the kids school for their open house. ;-)

Taka

ride my bike" Good!

Superlib: I think they eat better food overall. I've seen some small Japanese women put away serious amounts of food. I also think the body types are different; I don't think their frame can support much extra weight. You'll never see a Japanese person win a sprint or bodybuilding competition at the Olympics. Pretending we're all the same would be like saying a Japanese person can't run as fast because they just don't train hard enough..." That depends. I've learned it is not as genetic as you claim, but more to do with traditional diets. There are Japanese-American who do compete in Body Building but not sure about sprinting. That I would believe has more to do with genetics and mostly in black people.

I talked with Royce Gracie. You may feel that the Japanese food is better, but that is changing.

For my boy redmeatkoolaid, who must politicize EVERY topic, here's a list of the states with the most obese people:

1) Mississippi 2) West Virginia 3) Alabama 4) Louisiana 5) South Carolina 6) Tennessee 7) Kentucky 8) Arkansas 9) Indiana; Oklahoma; Michigan (tie)

Taka

More cushion for the pushin'.

Superlib,

You are right. My apologies. I emphasized "Hollywood" too much and wrote the names of famous Hollywood comedians.

I better go home and re-educate myself immediately by watching "Strange Brew"...

Kwaabish: I'm pretty sure John Candy is a Canuck. Anyway, he wouldn't have been as funny if he had been slim. Very disappointed that he died though.