Prevalence of obesity among developed nations

The average national prevalence of obesity is 17.1% in developed nations around the world.

How does the United States match up with other countries? The Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker recently ranked 11 nations for the percentage of the population with a body mass index of 30 or more.

The analysis was included in a study by the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker examining prices of the new diabetes and antiobesity treatments. Those new medicines have become one of the hottest trends in health care due to patients using them to lose weight.

The semaglutide drugs Ozempic and Rybelsus, used for type 2 diabetes treatment, and Wegovy, used for weight loss, and T2D medication Mounjaro (tirzepatide), could affect total health care costs of a nation. That will depend on the costs of the drugs themselves, and the number of people using them.

This slideshow lists obesity prevalence among 11 nations that are members of the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, an international partnership that promotes prosperity and equality across the globe.