Average human weighs 137lb - world's fattest countries

katrwal

I do love this topic, because it highlights how people use "weight" as the sole trigger for value... and that "weight" directly relates to "fat"...

for instance, yes, Asia has lower weight - but i looked up the average height chart for countries - and the average height for women in Asia is almost 4 inches shorter than in the US (5'0.8" vs 5'4.6").

I happen to be 6" taller than the female average height in the US, and yet fall between Egypt and Cypress on that chart... and, because i've spent a lifetime buying into the number on the scale determining my happiness, i had to go do 10 more minutes of research to justify being happy with where i am ...

hope you have a wonderful day!

BerryH

I'm calling foul on this one. The first post is focused on obesity, plain and simple. Now you're saying that this is about food security - which was not indicated in your first post.

If this is about getting responses (selling papers), then you've suckered me in. Fool me once...

I posted an article I found interesting. It was obvious it was flawed as an obesity table as it didn't take into account any other factors than sheer mass. Many people commented on this so I went to the original source to see what the scientists were actually trying to get at (always worth doing with any research-related article reposted on MFP BTW).

So yeah, call foul on me if it makes you happy, but you might as well call foul on scientific reporting in the media.

Read this site and the related book if you're interested in this sort of thing, it will change the way you read pretty much any article with science or statistics in it:
http://www.badscience.net/

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Yeah, what percentage of those weights are unhealthy though? I'd say anything under 55kg is definitely under-nourished!

I'm 54.2 kg (120lbs.) but I lift heavy weights & today I have eaten 1700+ calories and in fact I went over my calorie goal so I'm far from being under-nourished & I'm 1.57m (5'2") so 54.2kg is still a HEALTHY weight for me. Anyway thanks for your ignorant assumption.

hanahlai

I am in between China & Malaysia. "You're heavier than the average adult in 52 countries" That's a little disheartening...but then I think about all the third world countries who are starving so I figure it probably is accurate.

imkegoal

Wow, at a similar level s guatamala, I am lighter than my original average country men (Netehrlands- coming in at 70) and much lighter than my current countrymen (British) I am chuffed. Mind you this article includes males and females, so I am probably heavier than the average woman in Netherlands at least... .

INteresting article, and fun to do. Thanks for sharing!

beccaboo0713

I am Chad. "you are lighter than the average adult in 143 countries but heavier than the average adult on 34 countries"

jonnyman41

seriously? not sure what that is in pounds but one nephew is in there now and he certainly is skinny but taller and his brother tried years ago and could not get in as he needed to gain a few pounds he was just under 9 stones (126 lbs) but he is a short *kitten*

jonnyman41

I'm calling foul on this one. The first post is focused on obesity, plain and simple. Now you're saying that this is about food security - which was not indicated in your first post.

If this is about getting responses (selling papers), then you've suckered me in. Fool me once...

I posted an article I found interesting. It was obvious it was flawed as an obesity table as it didn't take into account any other factors than sheer mass. Many people commented on this so I went to the original source to see what the scientists were actually trying to get at (always worth doing with any research-related article reposted on MFP BTW).

So yeah, call foul on me if it makes you happy, but you might as well call foul on scientific reporting in the media.

Read this site and the related book if you're interested in this sort of thing, it will change the way you read pretty much any article with science or statistics in it:
http://www.badscience.net/

To be honest I thought you posted this as a bit of fun for others and that knowing our mass media most people would expect it to be flawed and treat it as you meant it to be, a fun exercise.

beansprouts

Your first post:

From the Daily Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/9345086/The-worlds-fattest-countries-how-do-you-compare.html

The world's fattest countries: how do you compare?

The average weight of an adult human is 137 pounds (62 kg) according to a league table of the world's 'fattest' nations from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Find out how you compare to other adults using our interactive graphic.

The pacific island nations of Micronesia and Tonga are at the top of the league table, followed closely by the United States where the average adult weighs 180.62 pounds (81.93 kg).

The United Kingdom is the tenth fattest country in the world, where an average adult weighs 167.1 pounds (75.8 kg).

The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health and launched on Monday at the United Nations conference Rio+20, highlights the problem of obesity in relation to the environment.

Excess consumption shortens people's lives and accelerates the destruction of the environment, and is concentrated in richer countries.

While the average body mass globally was 62 kg, North Americans weigh in at 81.9 kg.

And while the US makes up only five per cent of the world's population, it accounts for almost a third of the world’s weight due to obesity.

In comparison, Asia has 61 per cent of the world’s people but only 13 per cent of the world’s weight.

And now this:

The study isn't about healthy weight for specific genders, heights and builds, it's actually about food security, where the average weight of an adult indicates overall energy requirement. The media merely tagged the obesity angle on because of the league table.

http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/pressoffice/press_releases/2012/tacking_population_weight_crucial_for_food_security.html

I'm calling foul on this one. The first post is focused on obesity, plain and simple. Now you're saying that this is about food security - which was not indicated in your first post.

If this is about getting responses (selling papers), then you've suckered me in. Fool me once...

I don't know if you should be getting mad with this poster for reporting on a subject that is currently being printed all over the British papers...Apparently earlier this week, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine issued a report that said things like:

“The increased global demand for food arising from the increase in body mass is likely to contribute to higher food prices. Because of the greater purchasing power of more affluent nations (who also have higher average body mass), the worst effects of increasing food prices will be experienced by the world’s poor,”

Which is of course a lot of NONSENSE!....We(the US) are at the top of the "fat" list...and yet...We still have lots of poor people in America who are very,very fat from eating lots of cheap junk (food ?) like coke, pepsi and Little Debbies. That report totally missed the mark... The solution to world hunger is real food...Hunger does not disappear just because there is an increase in per capita body fat.

tidmutt

America the FAT!
We are a nation of fatties...lol I use the word "fat." F.A.T.
F is for "Fatal"
A is for "Awful"
T is for "Terrible"
I use that word because that's what people are: they're fat. They're not bulky; they're not large, chunky, hefty or plump. And they're not big-boned. Dinosaurs were big-boned. These people are not overweight: this term somehow implies there is some correct weight... There is no correct weight. Heavy is also a misleading term. An aircraft carrier is heavy; it's not fat.
Only people are fat, and that's what fat people are!
They're fat!

I just lost a few IQ points, I would like them back please.

SarahSwimmer

I'm Haiti!

isweatglitter

You are roughly the same weight as the average adult in
Pakistan
You're lighter than the average adult in
138
countries You're heavier than the average adult in
39
countries


The funny thing is that I am actually from Pakistan!

FlaxMilk

Mine is Siri Lanka, heavier than Bangladesh. That was kind of fun

elenathegreat

At 155 lbs, I'm between Luxemborg and Libya...

futuremalestripper

I'm between KFC and Arby's and I keep doing circles.

JacksMom12

Congo- and I'm at goal.

jonesygetshealthy

I'm between Chile and Venezuela.

I'd like to see average height tables.

Average BMI and caloric intake tables.

separated by gender, too

fteale

I am the same weight as the average adult in Malawi.

I have no idea what that means.

robot_potato

Between syria and guyana. 148.2 pounds.

Cheri_Moves

Well, I'm Ireland!!! I like that

I was curious about the height/weight/gender factor and looked up the average heights of adults from around the world... the heights vary dramatically, although I found it interesting that Guatemalan (Maya people) women only average out at 4'6"!!!
Lil Shorties!

Cheri_Moves

I'm between KFC and Arby's and I keep doing circles.

hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

ElizabethRoad

I am the same weight as the average adult in Malawi.

I have no idea what that means.

Nothing, really. It's an interesting bit of trivia.

Trechechus

I'm exactly the average of Mafagascar.

I can't help but point out, though... Shouldn't the averages for men and women be different?

mynameiscarrie

"You are roughly the same weight as the average adult in
Maldives"


THAT'S LIKE THE PRETTIEST PLACE ON THE PLANET (for beach lovers that is...)

I think my favorite part of this page is the whole "you are larger/smaller than x number of countries"

Punktorian

Tonga 192.56 Micronesia 192.68______________________Me, way over here.
Even my goal weight is well over the #1 position. Oh well, gotta be big to lift big.

ElizabethRoad

I'm exactly the average of Mafagascar.

I can't help but point out, though... Shouldn't the averages for men and women be different?

To have any meaning it would need to be separated by sex, height, and so on.

UpEarly

Fascinating! I fall between Algeria and Gabon.

It would be interesting to add height into the equation.

allisonmrn

That was really fun, thank you OP!!! I'm between Eritrea and Indonesia!!

m60kaf

I wanted to say pointless ... because it takes no account of fat levels.

However I guess in a world food way it is generally valid - I am a large framed 6ft 2 partly because I come from a wealthy European country. If I came from a poorer part of the world I guess I wouldn't have received the nutrition to attain that size

londongirl2012

I am lighter than the average adult in 177 countries., although I am veyr short (4ft 10/146cm) and so I am sure a person of the same height in other countries would almost certainly weigh less than me...BMI would have been better than weight alone perhaps...mines 23.0, aiming for 21.0 (18.5-23.0 healthy range for me)